Of Memoirs and Maps
by empireofapples
Summary: Faye is a seamstress. Ace is a pirate. She is the reason he wears his iconic orange hat, and he is the reason she was able to fill her book of maps. Eventual AcexOC
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **Ms. Dragon of owns nothing of the One Piece franchise. Everything you see that has been mentioned in the manga/anime series is owned by Eiichiro Oda and _Shonen Jump. _Anything you see that is not within the series, such as characters, places, and the plot, are owned by Ms. Dragon. This will be the only time a disclaimer will be seen in the story.

**A/N: **On with the story! Ready for something new? Well, you've got it! I would really appreciate if someone reviewed, or even alerted. That makes me very happy.

---

**Prologue  
**_**The Beginning of an End**_

"_We do not remember days; we remember moments."  
-Cesare Pavese, The Burning Brand_

Some things are meant to be forgotten. Somethings are meant to be remembered and stored away into journals and diaries just for the sake of letting man know that they were real. Somethings are meant to be locked away into the dark depths of one's mind, just so no one thing could ever use that weakness.

Some things are meant to be told in stories, so that mankind can remember the past, understand why it happened, and keep it from happening again.

I write this memoir, not for your sake, but for mine. Maybe if I go over those foolish moments, I might remember why I did what I did. But it's obvious, that if asked if I would do it all over again, I would answer with an non-hesitate and passionate "yes".

My story begins long ago, long before any of you were born; where life moves on without thought and question. It was a small coastal town, yet still busy from the coming and going of fishers and merchants and pirates, known as Loguetown.

---

A woman, long into her elder years, stopped her left hand from continuing on with its messy scribbles that she called cursive. Her wise-old green eyes could understand what she had just written, for she knew that passage by heart and could say it in her sleep. That's what happened when one thinks of something for so long that it is embedded into their mind.

Her short gray and black bangs swept back and forth from the sea breeze that came from the open window that she sat by.

The faint sounds of a town full of bustling people could be heard off in the distances, and she could see the specks of them even with her horrible eyesight. So many colors of everyday life in the fabric that they wore…

"Grandma! Hey, grandma!" a soft, musical voice sounded just outside of the room she sat in. She turned her head, instantly smiling at the girl with a head full of bouncing black curls.

"Well what a surprise to see you. Come give your old grandma a hug!" The little girl's smile widened as she ran over and jumped into the old woman's lap.

There were giggles and laughter, mostly from the little girl as she squirmed under her grandmother's ticklish fingers.

"Mia! Oh Mia, didn't I tell you to wait?" The old woman turned away from her granddaughter and smiled at the young woman who now stood in the doorway.

Anne smiled gently at her mother and daughter, bouncing a young baby boy on her waist. The small baby gurgled and reached out for the elder woman.

"But mom," Mia whined, stretching out the word, and finally slipped away from her grandmother's delicate hands and sat in the chair just a few feet away. Anne shook her head with a sigh and readjusted the baby on her waist.

A pair of arms came from behind the young mother that still stood in the hall, and clasped hands were held tightly in her front. Anne rolled her eyes, turning her head to give a small kiss on the cheek to her husband, and then was released to go and greet her mother.

Mia bounced with a giggle in the chair at seeing her father, and then turned back to her grandmother.

"Grandma, grandma! When are you going to finally tell me the story of how you met grandpa?"

There was a sudden silence, only the sounds of the town below and the creak of the chair that Mia was bouncing in could be heard.

Anne did everything but held her breath in the tense air. She knew the subject of her father was one that should never be spoken of. She had been told once, and that was the only time she was told. The man had long been gone.

The old woman smiled; something that surprised Anne but she didn't say a word. Silently, Anne and her husband sat down on the small couch on the other side of the room and watched as the scene unfolded.

"Well, seeing as I might not get to see you in the soon future," Anne choked slightly at her mother's words and gave a worried look. "I shall go ahead and tell you now."

Mia began to bounce again, her eyes getting larger from the excitement that welled up in her.

"You see that old brown book over there?" her finger pointed to the book that lay closed, sitting by itself, on the bottom self of a small bookcase. Mia nodded, flashing her eyes away from her grandmother to the large book. "Bring it here. I think it best to show you something in it to help start the story."

A head of bouncing black curls disappeared from the chair and to the bookshelf. Mia picked up the book with a slight huff at the heaviness of it, and brought it back to her grandmother.

"Good, now, let us start…" The old woman's thin fingers flipped through pages trying to find the correct one. "Where should we start?" she thought out loud to herself once finding the correct yellowing page full of greens, blues, and browns.

"At the beginning, grandma!" Mia put in her small opinion.

She smiled, nodding, and placed the book in Mia's lap, pointing to a certain small red dot on the map.

"Log…u…town. What's Log-u-town, grandma?"

The old woman laughed, shaking her head, and corrected the small girl.

"It's Loguetown my dear. That is where the beginning is."

Anne leaned back against the couch, softly rocking her baby boy to sleep. It was rare to see her mother speak anything of her father, let alone Loguetown. This is one of those moments where she wanted to memorize every word her mother said.

"Around sixty-five years ago, our world was not as we knew it. The world, those sixty-five years ago, was ruled by pirates and the Marines. There were no neutrals, no not taking sides, and no excuses. You were either for the pirates or for the Marines-"

"But why, grandma? What did they do to make it like that?"

The old woman smiled, her cheeks wrinkling up as she continued.

"Do you want me to tell the story or not? I can't keep stopping and answering your questions."

The little girl made a motion with her fingers that she was "zipping her lips up".

She nodded, "Good. Now, where was I? Oh yes, the pirates and the Marines. Now, sixty-five years ago, there was a pirate that every man, woman, and child either feared or wanted to be. His name was Gol D. Roger. He was famous for being known as the Pirate King because, well, he was just that. Every pirate wanted to have the power he had.

"Now, sixty-five years ago in Loguetown, he was executed for being such a famous pirate. The Marines had captured him," there was a soft gasp from the little girl who was too lost in the story to care if she interrupted, "and he was sentenced to be killed in front of everyone in Loguetown. His final words were, 'My wealth and treasures? If you want it, I'll let you have it...search for it! I left all of it at that place, all in one piece!'"

Mia jumped slightly, even more excitement written on her face.

Isaac watched with an intrigued look on his face. He had never heard the story before, so this was a treat for himself, just like everyone else in the room that was listening. He glanced at his relaxed wife, seeing that their son was already asleep. May it have been from his grandmother's voice or his mother's rocking, Isaac didn't know.

He turned back to look at his daughter and mother-in-law.

"And so, 'The Great Age of Pirates' had begun. Pirates set out to find 'One Piece', as it had been dubbed, and searched for the riches that would make them the most powerful man, or woman, in the world. You were either a pirate or a Marine. The Marines fought to keep everything under control and stop the pirates. This is where the increase of Pirate Hunters came in. The pirates, always those that were a threat to the Marines, were given bounties on their heads. It ranged anywhere from fifty-thousand Beli to up to the higher hundred million Beli!

"Years passed and pirates kept coming and going, trying to find the famous treasure, but no one was lucky enough to get it," she stopped now, taking the book back and flipping between a few more pages before stopping it again and handing it back.

This time, the old woman leaned back in her own chair and took her small notebook into her hands again. A pen was gripped in her left hand, and she began to write again.

Mia paid only attention to the words her grandmother spoke as she slowly slid a small finger over the thick black and blue lines of the map.

"Now… the story first starts off on a day much like today, in the small port of Loguetown…"


	2. The Shop

**Chapter One: The Shop**

"_The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances; if there is any reaction, both are transformed."  
- Carl Gustav Jung_

It was early afternoon as I silently eat my small lunch and sat in the back of my shop. I could tell it was early afternoon, because most people on the streets were those looking for a place to eat, instead of wasting their money on material things. Don't get me wrong, I'm very pleased in the many things that I made from scratch and am selling currently, but I also understood the buyer's point of view.

My lunch was practically nothing compared to the meals other merchants got. It was just a simple sandwich with some kind of meat and cheese in between the bread, with a mug of coffee and a freshly picked apple. I needed the coffee to keep me awake since I had stayed up all night just staring at my wall, and the apple was just there so I didn't have to go see a doctor.

No one had fluttered into my shop within the past two hours. Either they saw a few things in the windows but once seeing the price they ran away. No, I'm not one of those people who overly charge people for something. I actually sell my things quite cheap. Maybe that's why my lunches are always small. Or maybe they just didn't like the array of fabrics in erotic colors that I had to offer. Most people here usually didn't wear the things I had to offer, I wouldn't blame them. Usually, it was only the small-fry (that's what I called the newcomers that were "pirates") that would even think about buying anything from me, unless there were a couple of tourist who wanted the taste of something new.

Time seemed to filter by much too slowly for my liking, and this made me actually want to close up early and begin on my private orders.

I swear, if that Buggy dude ripped another one of my custom made coats again, I was going to _really_ cut him where it hurts and-

You know those really annoying bells that always go off when a door opens? Well, the one on my shop's front door just did.

I looked up, a bit of surprise etched on my face, but it soon disappeared when I saw the person. It was just another small-fry. How could I tell?

He had that stupid boyish grin on his freckled face that made me want to stuff one of my brother's old socks in his mouth and push him out into the streets with his arms and legs tied up like a hog.

I stayed where I was behind the counter, and only shifted to place my feet onto the wooden surface. He actually didn't notice me until then. His dark brown eyes flashed over to me, and I swear I've seen that look somewhere before.

After mentally shrugging off that itchy feeling in the back of my mind, I decided to strike up a conversation.

"You're must be new around here. Where ya from?"

He didn't seem to make a notion to answer, he was to set on the variety of things that sat on shelves and were hung on racks. I waited a few seconds, before opening my mouth to make a retort on answering me, but he beat me to it.

"Did you make all these yourself?" I was a bit shocked at his question, but nodded and finally took the moment to stand at my full height.

I was quite tall for my age, and for being a woman. I stood at around five foot nine without my boots on, but with them, I was only an inch or so taller.

"You're really good. I'm surprised they sell for so cheap. You could make a future on this kind of silk design." His hand reached out to touch the silky kimono robe that was hung on the wall for viewing _only_, but I stopped him.

His hand pulled back just far enough to be missed by the small, yet deadly, dagger that was now embedded in the wall at the other side of the room. His eyes flashed over to me, my hand still out from where I had thrown the dagger.

"Don't touch it unless you're going to buy it." If no one bought it by the end of the week, I was going to keep it for myself. "That is unless you don't want me to _miss_ the next time.

He pulled his hands away, giving a defensive backing-off look and continued to look around. My eyes continued to watch him as my feet ghosted across the floor so I could retrieve my dagger. It seemed those stupid lessons my brother had taught me did come in handy after all. It kept away filthy fingers, and even cut a few off if needed.

I had my bad turned around for only a few seconds to retrieve the small strip of sharp metal, and when I turned back around, I held the dagger to his neck. The look in his eyes didn't falter, and his grin only widened.

"Don't you think you should leave the fighting to the big boys?" This gave me a very good excuse to be irked. I hated men that thought women were only there to take care of the house and make kids.

"I'll have you know, that I'm the reason the big boys always lose those fights." He wasn't fazed on bit by me. That made me even more irked. My hand tightened around the dagger again, and I shifted my and only a bit to show that I wasn't playing around with him.

"I think you should put that away, girlie," he answered my threat with a threat of his own. The blunt barrel of a gun was resting on the fold of the dark green sash tied around my waist. My eyes released their glare, and I loosened up my hold on the long knife. I pulled away slightly, but the pistol still followed my every move.

Wasn't this a sight?

A merchant girl who could barely keep food on the table had a knife to a pirate's neck, with said pirate's gun cocked and finger happy to pull if I made any foolish movement. Oh yeah, wait until my brother hears this one.

"Faye!" We both jumped at the sudden shrill of my friend's voice and turned to see what happened. In the end, my dagger accidently scratched at the side of his neck, and his gun was jabbed into my pelvis.

"Mia," I growled, rubbing at my side and stepping back to put my dagger back into the hidden pocket in a fold of my sash. "Don't scare us like that. I could've taken off his head, and he could've made me lose a kidney!" I yelled, not hearing the mumbled apology for the jab. I hurried over to my frightened friend and pulled her back into the back of the shop.

There she started asking questions, some didn't even make the least bit of sense, but I was more worried about finding a bandage for the pirate I had just accidently cut.

---

"Wait, grandma…you mean I was named after your best friend?"

Faye blinked slowly, looking up from the messy scribbling and furrowed her brows slightly. Had Anne named her daughter after Mia, her old time friend, after all and she didn't even notice until now?

"Yes, Mia, I named you after your grandmother's best friend." The two turned to look at the half-asleep Anne as she rest her head against Isaac's chest and continued to gently rock her baby boy in his sleep.

Faye smiled, turned back to her notebook, and continued to write, telling the story along with it.

---

After searching through the many cabinets in the back, I returned to the front to see a "flirting" Mia and cocky pirate who looked as if he actually _enjoyed_ the sorry excuse that Mia called flirting.

I rolled her eyes and walked up to the pair. Mia stopped twirling a fray piece of hair in her finger, and grinned widely at me.

"Ace, this is Faye. She owns the shop and makes everything you see for sell herself. I only help manage on some days when she's out getting supplies and I help pay the bills with my bar-tending money that I get every night," she sent him a secretive wink, one that I could tell had a double meaning to it. Of course, it wasn't very secretive since I saw it.

"Yeah, _whatever_…like you can call that 'job' bar-tending. It's more like an under-paid prostitute if you ask me," I answered, handing the bandage over to the cocky, freckled face pirate – did she say his name was Ace? – and turned to go back to the counter.

Beside my stool that I sat on was my unbitten apple, and I took this time to actually take a bite. It wasn't half bad.

"See anything you like?" she asked with a flirty smile. It made me sick, but I just kept taking a bit of my apple and staring at the cracks in the counter.

"Oh yes I do…" he eyes roamed her body like she was a fresh piece of meat. I wouldn't blame him. He was a male. She was barely wearing anything. It embarrassed me to no end that she would dare wear something like that in public, and yet I loved her like a sister.

"Uh, I mean, yeah," Ace quickly grabbed the first thing that he could reach. It was a bright orange cowboy hat. Only a few were sold in this place a year, so I was surprised that he even looked interested in it once he saw what it was. "Do you have this in any other colors?" He finished his answer.

I rolled my eyes, the crunch of my apple was loud, but they didn't notice. I think I _was_ really going to be sick from this. It seemed that stupid saying about apples and doctors wasn't true after all.

Mia shook her head with a giggle, and began twirling her hair again.

"Alright then, I take it!"

Both of our eyes bulged; he actually wanted to buy that thing? Like I said before, had nothing against why I sold, it was just the people I sold it to. He didn't look much like an "orange cowboy hat" kind of guy.

"Oh, um, okay. I'll get Faye to ring it up – "

"It's on the house," I didn't mean to say that. Did I mean to say that? I don't know, actually. I'm pretty sure I thought about it before I said it. I'm not the kind of person to just give something away for free.

Mia looked hesitate. Ace looked quite pleased with himself, actually.

"That thing's been here for a long time. I thought it'd be better t go ahead and get rid of it. Plus, you look like you could use the Beli for something much more important." Mia took a few steps back, giving me this look, but I didn't noticed really. My eyes were trained on the young man that was twirling the orange hat on his finger before he actually put it on his head.

It fit perfectly, but I wasn't surprised. Things like that always had a way of working out, mysteriously.

"Thanks, I owe you one," he tipped the hat at me, gave a dazzling smile to Mia and turned to leave.

"Well, come again anytime, Ace! We're always opened until eight o'clock!" Mia's attempts at suggesting failed aimlessly as she waved me goodbye and closed the door behind him.

Deep down, I wanted him to give _me_ a dazzling smile, not her. I was the one that just saved him about two thousand-something Beli. I ignored Mia, watching as the freckle faced pirate walked into the oncoming crowd. I could still see the orange hat over top of the crowd, but once he turned a corner, I couldn't see anything.

---

A soft giggle broke Faye from her thoughts. She turned to her granddaughter, seeing the knowing grin on the little girl's face.

"You were jealous, weren't you grandma?"

Faye smiled at the little girl, having long forgotten about telling the little girl to stop interrupting. Yet, she nodded.

"Yes, Mia, I was jealous."

---

I wasn't jealous, or at least, I wouldn't admit it. When I finally turned to look at Mia, she had this smile on her face that both scared me and wanted me to slap it off.

"You like him~" she said in an annoying sing-song voice, knowing that it gave me an excuse to be irked again.

"I do not! If you don't remember, I just tried to take off his head not ten minutes ago." Mia rolled her eyes and stepped behind the curtain that was placed between the front of the shop and that back, where we both lived.

"Whatever you say, Faye. Now leave me alone, I have to get to work soon."

She didn't give me time to say that it was nowhere near the time for her to go work at her so-called "bar". Mia only shut the bedroom door in my face and locked it so I couldn't say anymore. With a huff, I turned on my heel and stormed off.

I didn't like him. I didn't even know him. Hell, he just shoved a pistol into my stomach barely even _ten minutes ago_! I grumbled something under my breath, and walked to the front of the shop. When I sat at my stool, my arms crossed and chin resting on my chest. I didn't notice the small black bag sitting on the counter. And if I had picked it up and opened it, I would have found that two thousand and something Beli that the custom made hat cost.

---

**(Edit) A/N: **Alright, chapter one! I would kindly like to dedicate this to my first ever reviewer on oMaM, _flimmi7_! Thanks Flim, I owe ya one. (and I also thank _midnight._wolf62 for reviewing too) Because of you, I decided to actually finish writing the first chapter. Oh, and I would also like the thank _zorofans4eva111999 _for adding my story to their favorites and _62_ for alerting, also! I might actually have chapter two up by tomorrow. Depends on how school turns out. Night everyone!


	3. The Challenge

**Chapter Two: The Challenge**

"_This is one of the disadvantages of wine: it makes a man mistake words for thought."  
~Samuel Johnson_

Mia looked up from the book of maps after there was a slightly long pause from her grandmother. The little girl gave a questioning look with her eyes once finding that the old woman had stopped her writing and was clenching and unclenching her hand. Faye smiled gently at her, telling her not to worry, and then picked the pen back up. She quickly read over the last sentence she had written, and went back to her story once remembering what she was going to say.

---

"Oh come on, Faye. It's not just a coincidence that there was a bag of Beli sitting on the counter!" Mia tried to reason with me, but I wouldn't hear a word of it. In fact, I had gone as low as the stick my fingers into my ears and repeat the annoying "I'm not listening!" phrase over and over again. It may have not been a coincidence to her, but to me… well, you just don't find two thoughts Beli randomly appearing out of nowhere.

"Faye, stop being so childish and hurry up on closing the shop!" She slapped my arm, but my fingers didn't budge. Her face turned up into a dark scowl before she disappeared completely into her room in the back of the shop.

Once I was sure she wasn't going to pop out and start her illogical reasoning with me, I dropped my hands and took a quick around my shop. After that small-fry (Ace was it?) left, I had surprisingly gotten a large number of customers come in not far behind him. Of course I only gave the excuse that they were small-fry themselves or tourists. This irked Mia, and I ended up getting my revenge on her like that.

My green eyes landed on the empty space that an orange hat once sat in.

The room felt different without it there. That thing had been sitting in that exact same spot for the past four or five months and I had been praying for a while that it would, and wouldn't, sell. I wanted it to sell, because the orange just totally screwed up the vibe of the rom. And I hoped it wouldn't because the thing was starting to grow on me. I had even tempted on wearing it for a day or two.

"Alright Faye, I'm off to work. See you at the usual time?" I glanced over at the now dolled-up Mia. The skirt she wore barely even covered the highest point of her tan thighs, and the top she wore looked more like a strip of fabric than a bikini top. I, again, was embarrassed that she even thought about wearing something like that in public.

I nodded at her anyways, turning back to putting away a few things, and grabbed the bag of Beli; might as well make good use of it.

My closet was small, only consisting of a couple blouses, pants, coats, and accessories that I switched back and forth between over the week.

Staring into the door-long mirror that was actually placed on the back of my closet door, I finally pulled away from my millions of thoughts and scrunched up my face once seeing what I was wearing. The blouse was one of my favorites, to put it simply. It was an off white that went perfectly with the many coats and sashes I wore. Speaking of which, I was also wearing one of my few favorite coats; it was a deep royal purple; not violet, purple. It helped bring out my green eyes more. Plus I liked to stick out in a crowd – unless I was trying to hide from someone, then I would just flip the coat inside out and it would then be black instead of purple.

My hands smoothed out the few wrinkles in my blouse, slowly sliding down to undo the green sash and retie it. My expression turned back to the usual bored one once I gave up on worrying about what I looked like, and pulled my black curls out of the ponytail I had them in. The silky tresses fell down gently and settled just at my shoulder blades. Shaking out the few bumps that had formed from the small piece of leather that kept my hair up, I ran a hand through the curls, trying to get out any unnecessary tangles.

After a few grimaces from the knots that had formed over the day, I tied the bag of Beli to my sash tightly and went to go leave. The front was empty for other than me and the many objects that I sold. I locked the front door once making it out on the street, and turned to the west, already finding the sun making its descent. How long had I been staring off into space, into that mirror?

The sounds of the night rang in my ears once I turned the corner and came face to face with the many night "shops" and "bars" opening up their doors once again. A few waves and greetings were exchanged between me and a few others, but that was it. You either knew me, or you didn't.

The bar I was looking for, other known as "The Starstruck", had just opened their doors to the public for the night. How did I know this? The bar wasn't rowdy yet. Men were still trying to get drunk and women were in the back, putting on who-knows-what, getting ready to make some money. Of course there were no fights at "The Starstruck"; you even look like you were going to cause a scene, your ass was automatically kicked out by Henry, DJ, or me – it just depended on which of us could get to the man first.

"Yo!" My head snapped up from the floor to see the usual wise-old bartender who stood behind the counter, wiping a crystal clear, smiling in my direction. The few others in the bar didn't look up, too set on finishing their alcohol before the group came. "I was wondering when you were gonna show up, Faye."

I rolled my eyes at him. The actually bar that you sat at was pretty much empty for other than myself, some old guy, and the bartender.

"You are so predictable, DJ." A long dark red, thin-neck bottle was set in front of me. Again, he was so predictable. "Thanks," I muttered and pulled out the sand-tan cork from its spot at the bottle's opening. A sickly sweet smiling liquid suddenly hit my senses, and I visibly relaxed. Wine was, and always would be, the best thing that I ever tasted. It wasn't as strong as alcohol, yet not as weak as the wanna-be drinks that were sold to those who couldn't hold their liquor.

It was just right, and tasted pretty darn good too.

There I sat, alone in my corner of the bar, drinking at the age-old grape juice that would give me a familiar buzz and slightly flustered look. Soon after finishing half the bottle, I would place my Beli on the counter, wave a good bye and mumble something if the bar wasn't already too loud to let me hear myself think, and then stumble through tables and bodies, trying to get to my exit.

Of course, it took me around an hour and a half to do this because I liked to _savor_ my alcohol.

"See ya, DJ. I'll see you same time tomorrow." I placed the correct amount of Beli from the small black bag onto the counter, and made my way to the door. The bar was only three-fourths full, but it was still quiet loud. That, plus the familiar buzz in my senses, mad me a bit uneasy for some reason.

I was used to leaving around this time, after half way through a bottle and out the door no later than two hours. Something made my stomach churn, though. I could only push away the feeling and continue on my way.

---

"What was wrong, Grandma? What happened next?"

Faye was taken away from her train of thought, yet again, by her granddaughter. She gave a small playful scowl, and pinched the little girl's cheek softly so not to hurt her.

"What did I tell you last time about interrupting me?"

Mia leaned back in the chair again, placed a hand over her mouth and giggled embarrassedly.

"Sorry…"

Faye kept silent though, not knowing what to say next. The part of her story that was coming up was not meant to be heard by a little girl her age… What was she to do? It was an important part to what would be happening in the near future of her story.

Anne opened her eyes, once know remembering what was going to be said next. When Anne had been the young teenager she was when she heard the story, she had always known for her mother to be a pure, golden-white angel that helped anyone in need. But once she heard that certain part, and many other parts in her mother's story, that image was soon burning up in Hell's flames. Her mother wasn't the golden halo angel she had imaged. Anne glanced at the clock on the wall, helping come up with an excuse, and also needing to get going herself.

"Oh look at the time!" She said softly, not wanting to awake the sleeping baby she had in her arms. Mia, Faye, and Isaac were all slightly surprised by the sudden realization that Anne hadn't been asleep. "We have to go! Lord knows what will happen if we miss our boat ride…"

Mia groaned, closed the large book in her lap and sat it on the desk that her grandmother sat in. There were hugs and kisses exchanged quickly while a frantic Anne hurried to get her daughter and husband to the port to get to their boat ride over to the other side of the island that they lived on.

Faye waved to them and watched as they quickly walked down the grassy hill (Isaac had let Mia ride on her back), to the port, and loaded onto medium sized ferry-like boat.

Her wise-old green eyes strayed away from the glistening blue sea water and to the half-filled page in the small notebook she had. She gave a sigh, knowing that Mia would want to know what happens next, but there was no way for her to tell her until she was older, and knew of the things that were really out there.

Faye began to write again. Hopefully she would finish her memoir before her time came. And if she didn't finish it… maybe, somewhere out there, someone knew how to finish it for her.

---

The streets were filled with the life of the night. Of course, I was only looking for a certain redhead who would be wearing pretty much nothing, and the certain corner of the bar she "worked" at that she would be standing at.

Mia was easy to point out. She was the one with the most men around her.

I sighed, shouting for all of them to scat, and they did. Mia didn't look pretty happy, but I could see a bag of Beli swinging back and forth behind her back. I shook my head at her, gave a sigh, and stood beside her.

There were a few more guys that came up, some asking to have a "good time" with _me_. That got with a black eye, a bloody nose, and probably a broken rib or two… okay fine, the rib thing is an exaggeration, but the rest is true.

As soon as there was a slow flash from the bar sign that hung above us, we made our way through the alleyway beside the bar and into the back door. There, Mia dropped off her "pay" for the night, and went to change. I waited patiently, mingled with a few of the other girls there, and gave a lazy wave and wink to the guy who counted to Beli. He was big, no not fat-big; I mean like…perfectly ripped body that every time he moved his muscles shifted his skin, _big_.

Mia was done before I knew it and pulled me into the front of the bar. This was the kind of bar that was the exact opposite of "The Starstruck". I pretty much hated it here, but the Beli we got off of bets was amazing.

Table upon table were filled with empty shot glasses and passed out men who were still caressing the bottle that made them the way they were. There were still those, though, who had either just started or could hold their liquor quite well. Mia immediately went to the table that was closest to us. One of the familiar drinkers was already on his ninth round. How long had we been waiting?

Amounts of Beli, curses, and incoherent words were being yelled out. How Mia and I figured out what they were saying was a bit of a mystery, but the redhead known as my Mia was already taking up slips and bags full of Beli. I sat not far away, making sure no one else was being a little-cheat or a bit too rowdy, but this table seemed to be pretty calm.

Suddenly, a hand grasped my shoulder, and I was forced to look at the greatly scarred face of some gray-haired stranger.

"I challenge you to a drinking contest."

---

**A/N: **_First Order of Business: _Yes, I know, it's a bit boring of a chapter. To me, it's mostly a filler-chapter, but… it helps me get ready for the next chapter. Also, the next chapter WILL be out later tonight.

_Second Order of Business: _Sorry for not getting it out until now, though. School has been horrible with exam, after test, after project, after exam that I've been having this final week of the semester. BUT, I got awesome presents from my few Secret Santas. (The gifts include LOTS of chocolate, brown sugar vanilla lotion, LEGOS which I totally freaked out about and started making stuff in the middle of class with, and the sum of $15.

_Third Order of Business_: This is for anyone who is actually interested in helping me, but, I need a Beta Reader. I'm one of those people who has too much confident in their writing to go back and check for errors. Plus, I'm starting to get in a little hole of where I'm actually going to _lead_ this story too. Like most of my stories, I didn't outline ANYTHING for the plot. Meaning, all I have is what's in my brain – which I will sooner or later forget. Plus, I like hearing things that people would like to see happen.

_Fourth Order of Business: _I would greatly like to thank and love those who have reviewed/alerted/favorite/etc on oMaM. It makes me so excited to hear from people who actually want to find out what happens in my story! Also, I had a question from a reviewer (which I already answered) but yes, this will eventually become an AcexOC fanfic. I'm not the type of person who does the whole "love at first sight thing". Blah; too cliché. I actually want to get WAY past the first few double-digit chapters before anything romantically starts happening. But, knowing me and being such a sucker with romance, it just depends.

That's all for now, folks!


	4. The Bottle and a Bed

**Chapter Three: The Bottle and a Bed**

"_First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you."  
~Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald_

There was a bottle of amber-colored liquor in the direct center of the table. Mia stood behind me, slowly counting the bills and coins that she had received from the previous drinking contest, and was now getting from mine. There was also a fresh tray of clean shot glasses sitting on the edge, just waiting to be filled up and drunken from. Of course my senses finally realized that this was the bad part that had clawed at my stomach early this evening.

I wished, and I mean _hoped, wished, and prayed to whatever god there was_, that I would make it out of this without finding myself in an empty alleyway or in some stranger's bed. Both had happened too many times in my life for my liking, and I didn't want it to happen again. Ever again.

One of my challengers snickered something in the old man's ear, both laughing loudly at their inside joke. My fists were clenched under the table, waiting for the first glass to be filled so I could get this over with.

After Mia had taken the many bets that had been placed, she grabbed the clear bottle full of amber-liquid and pulled off two glasses from the tray.

My green eyes didn't glance away from the dull gray ones of my challenger. I slipped off my coat, the royal purple fabric lying on the back of the chair, and rolled up my extremely long sleeves. One edge of the sleeve stopped from my wrist, while the other led a stream of ruffles down the edge and to the other corner which stopped an inch past the length of my middle finger.

This was going to be one long night.

The two glasses were set in front of us, one each. I didn't pull my still-clenched fists from under the table and my eyes still stared into the gray eyes of the scar-faced man. We stared at each other, silently shouting for the other to give up so they could either, one, take the winning money easily or, two, so they didn't have to get shit-faced drunk. The latter would be me, if you hadn't guessed it.

"Ready?" A nod from both of us said that we were.

"Steady those glasses…" The crowd grew quiet, waiting for round one to come and go. Who would give in first; the stranger or the girl?

"DRINK!" Before she could even finish the word, my hand had shot up, taken the glass, brought it to my lips, and I swallowed the liquid fire; shaking off the burning feeling that it gave my throat. I had set my glass down before my challenger could even finish taking the amber liquid in between his teeth.

I wasn't a drinker, only a few glasses of wine and a few shots for celebration here and there, but when I was forced to actually drink a lot, I quickly got it over with. The burning in my throat didn't go away, and it showed a bit when my eyes started to tear up, but I quickly wiped them away and nodded for another shot. There were a few curses from the crowd that had gathered; it seemed some didn't think a girl could handle a shot of pure alcohol.

I was poured a second glass, and downed it just as quick as the first.

My challenger did the same.

Then a third glass was placed in front of me.

And then a fourth.

And then a fifth.

On my sixth one, I couldn't tell what was up from down or side from side. I could only make out the large blur of color from the crowd that surrounded us in the dimly lit bare. I could only make out my glass, my challenger's glass, and his mysterious gray eyes.

The alcohol had attacked my nerves, making the burning sensation in my throat finally die down. Well, actually, it was still there, but I was so drunk right now that I really didn't care.

"You okay, Faye?" was what the worried voice of Mia said. I bobbed my head slightly, getting dizzy suddenly, and slapped my hand on the table. I could hear the rush of liquid leave a bottle and ring at the sides of a glass.

I opened my eyes, not knowing they were even closed, and stared at the amused look on the stranger's face. He didn't look a bit fazed by the alcohol. Shit; I was screwed on this.

You know when you're drunk and you do things that you would never do when sober or even a bit out of your right mind?

Well, I just made an example for why you shouldn't enter a drinking contest if you can't hold liquor very well.

I grabbed three extra glasses from the tray and snatched the bottle from Mia's hand. The crowd had quieted down, trying to figure out what I was doing next.

I grabbed one glass in one hand and another glass in my other hand. With a small "cheers" motion, I downed one and then another without even swallowing the first. Sure, I slightly choked on the liquid since it was a lot, but I shook the shiver running down my mind and took the other two glasses. I did the same motion, only this time swallowing each glass full one at a time.

When I had actually placed the glasses back on the table, my ears began to ring. I heard a thud. Everything was suddenly very bright, even though the room had just been lit by only a few candles and broken lights. My green eyes didn't come in contact with the gray ones of my challenger, but instead the other side of the table was empty.

What had made my ears ring were the cheers that surrounded me. He had passed out before me.

I had won the drinking contest.

My head immediately connected with the table. The annoying buzz of alcohol entered my senses and I couldn't do anything else with it, other than put up with it.

I was suddenly lifted from the chair and table, though. My mind told me to come to my unbothered senses and fight the restraint that had picked me up, but it was too warm to even think of hurting it. Mind you, I'm calling it an "it" since I have no idea what else to call it.

The soft voice of Mia was muffled slightly from the rowdy chatter and sounds that made up the bar. I unconsciously moved closer to the warmth that surrounded one side of me; I was _savoring_ it greatly. I knew I was going to wake up the next morning and find myself so sick that I would be in bed for a week. At least I didn't have to get supplies for awhile. It would be much worse having to explain to my customers that they're orders weren't done because of a hang-over, then actually going through the hang-over.

"There's a key… second door on the right… and _don't_ try anything funny, mister!"

That's all I could make out before the sounds of the bar suddenly disappeared and my bare skin was met with the cool night air. What happened to my jacket? Oh well, I would ask Mia in the morning.

There were more sounds of the night life as lights flashed behind my eyes. My mind was slowly beginning to close down, surely being overcome by sleep, but I welcomed it. I was tired anyways. The drinking just gave e a self-excuse for falling asleep earlier than usual.

And before I knew it, the sounds of Loguetown were no more. But I swear I heard the breaking of a bottle just before I lost consciousness.

----

Faye closed her eyes slowly, taking in the familiarity of the scene she was imagining. To think that she had actually been wrapped in those arms was beyond her imagination… but it had really happened.

She sighed, finding the feeling disappearing like always, and went back to her writing. How much time had passed since her family left to go back home? Faye had never been very good with time. She found that knowing it was usual. Just do whatever you want, no matter how much time it takes to do it.

That's what she always said.

----

When my mind began to fade out of the lovely dreamless sleep I was having, I noticed something weird. I wasn't in my clothes that I was wearing last night, meaning that someone had changed me. It couldn't have been Mia; she's too lazy to do that kind of thing. I also found myself _not_ facing the line window in my room, which usually is what wakes me up because of the sun.

That I was happy for since my head was already pounding from the amount of alcohol I had consumed that day.

Another thing I found weird, something warm – that wasn't my blanket – was wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer into something extremely warm that made me want to go back to sleep. But the curiosity I had was slowly eating at my insides. I had to find out what was going on.

I opened my eyes, facing the doorway that led out of my room. Mia was leaning against the doorsill, arms folded over her chest with a one-brow-raised look. My face scrunched up in confusion when I saw her. Why was she looking at me?

To add to my pounding head and curiosity, Mia was acting weird. What was wrong with her?

"Don't tell me you did _it_…" she mumbled, but I could hear her perfectly clear. The sudden realization hit me harder than I thought. I wasn't in bed…alone.

What I had thought to be my pillow all night long, was some random guy who had somehow gotten in my home. Usually, Mia would be freaking out… why wasn't she freaking out?

Then I saw it. The familiar custom made cowboy hat sitting on the nightstand right above my head. I could see a little personal touch has been added to it over the past however-many-hours-had-passed since I had given it to that freckled-face small-fry.

My body was completely still.

I could feel the small rise of fall of his bare chest on my back through the thin fabric of my night shirt. Alarms were going off in my head and a large "WARNING" sign was flashing in front of my eyes. But I didn't move; not a single muscle other than my heart to keep beating my lungs so I could breathe.

To tell you the truth, this actually felt nice. But, that comfort soon vanished when his hand slid down my slid and _too_ low for my liking. Mia's eyes widened, her slightly amused look gone.

Before the guy even knew what was coming, I had grabbed his arm in a flash and pushed his face into one of the pillows so that I could straddle his back and hold his twisted arm there. Only after a few seconds, he started to struggle, needing the oxygen that I was cutting off. Once I was sure I had gotten him god enough, I pulled his head away from the pillow by grabbing his shaggy black hair. There was a gasp, more struggling, and a stream of even more curses.

"What the hell are you doing in my bed, and how did I get changed?"

He stopped suddenly, relaxing when finding it was just me (I guess), and letting me do as I pleased to get answers. I tugged at his hair again, a small wince running through his body, and tilted his head to the side so that I could look at his face. He had that annoying boyish grin again.

"Well you see… it's a long story, and I'm sure you don't want to hear it all so –"

"Start explaining or I'll break your neck," I threatened through my teeth. I knew I wouldn't do that (I wasn't going to get blood on my bed), but he didn't know that.

His dark brown eyes widened, the Adams apple near the middle of his neck bobbed slowly, and he opened his mouth to answer.

"Well I-I sometimes just fall asleep without me-meaning to. And um… and I guess that sort of happened la-last night?"

I glared at him darkly, not really taking that as the truth, but he made a pretty good point. Isn't there a really long and weird scientific name for something like that?

"You only answered my first question," I growled, twisting his arm even more. There as another small wince, but I could barely even tell it was there.

"Okay, okay! When I brought you here, you mumbled that you were hot and started pulling at your clothes," I lifted a brow, not convinced, again. "I swear I didn't do anything to you! I didn't even look at you when you started to pull off your clothes!" He answered before I could do any more harm.

I gave up, though. Maybe there was something wrong with this guy… it had been pretty hot in those thick-cotton clothes. I let go of him and slid off the bed.

The long night shirt barely even passed my hips when stood up and because of this; I pulled on last night's pair of pants and stood close to the wall. He was just now sitting up fully and scratching what needed to be scratched, and cracking what needed to be cracked. I folded my arms over my chest, and glanced from him to the now empty doorway.

"Hurry up and get out. I have to open up the shop soon." I ignored the pounding at my head, even if it was making me dizzy. I had more on my hands than just that kind of thing.

He frowned slightly, shifted his slightly twisted-to-the-side shorts and grabbed the hat from the night stand. I could now see the customization that he had made to it. Red beads circled it with what looked to be two circular glass-lenses that had "smileys" painted on them; one frowning and one smiling. Weird, but interesting.

"I said _move it_, boy," I growled at him again. He huffed slightly, and rolled his eyes. His face soon held the familiar boyish grin.

"The name's Ace, ya know…" he mumbled, and there was that ringing in my ears again.

"Yeah, yeah, and I don't care. Move it," I pushed him from the back and out of my room, shutting the door.

"Good morning~!" shouted a surprisingly happy Mia. "Hey Ace, want to stay for breakfast?"

She was seriously going to let him stay after the scene that had just unfolded?!

What was seriously wrong with this girl?

"Of course! I never refuse a good meal," he answered. Great; I better not have to be the one to sit beside him…

----

**A/N: **Alright! This is gonna be a real quick A/N 'cause I have to get in the bed. Yeah, I still have a bedtime… Anyways, I hope this chapter is okay and the errors aren't HUGE. I wrote this without any thought of checking for mistakes, so there most likely are a couple. I'll edit it tomorrow if there's anything major. Other than that, night! And thank you every one who reviewed/favorited/alerted/etc this story!


	5. The Wanted

**Chapter Four: The Wanted**

"_We tell lies when we are afraid... afraid of what we don't know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us. But every time we tell a lie, the thing that we fear grows stronger."  
~Tad Williams_

I leaned against the counter, caressing a cup of coffee delicately in my hands as if it were a small child. I had already downed about three cups of water to help keep hydrated since the alcohol burned up all the water in my system. The coffee was just there to help open my pounding nerves and also help me wake up. Mia was sitting at the small table that was pushed up against the other side of the kitchen.

My eyes narrowed in on the… _boy _that was practically inhaling Mia's cooking. I loved Mia like a sister, the most that I loved _anyone_ in this corrupted world, but she sucked at cooking. No, "sucked" is not the correct word. It would be more along the lines of "she burns water and cereal" type thing.

Get my point?

Ace was already on his third helping before ten minutes even passed. Just watching him eat was making me sick. No, wait that was probably the alcohol… Nevermind, it was definitely him.

I closed my eyes, letting them rest from the bright sun that was filtering into the kitchen. It was going to die before the day was over. I knew I was.

"More please!"

Oh my god, boy! Where do you put all of this food? Do you have more than one stomach?

"So, Ace, where are you from?" Mia asked, leaning her chin against her palm as she fluttered her eyelashes. Again, I think I'm going to be sick.

He swallowed whatever he had in his mouth, grinned, and answered. "Fuschia Village, it's really far from here, a bit in the north too, actually."

I raised a brow at this. What was a little village boy doing so far from home? Most of the time, "pirates" like him stayed in crews that were close to home. Wait, wasn't that where–

"Oh really? That's not far from where I grew up!" Mia lied straight through her teeth. She was born and raised here in Loguetown. Hell, the closest she got to the sea was when she went to the beach.

"So, what are you doing do far from home?" Mia asked another question. I just stood quietly in the background listening to what information I was given.

Ace only shrugged, though. "Don't know exactly. I do plan on traveling the Grand Line, though. I like the sea." He grinned again. This time he didn't ask for anymore food. He only stood up to place his plate on the counter and pour himself a cup of coffee. As soon as he was in a three-foot radius of me, I quickly slipped past him and took his seat at the table.

The wood was warm from where he had sat.

"Where are you from, Faye?" Ace asked his own question this time. My head snapped around to look at him. How did he know my name? Oh yeah, Mia.

"You don't care, so why should I tell you?"

"I'm curious…and I do care." He answered back.

"Curiosity killed the cat–"

"–but knowledge brought him back."

I glared furiously at him with my lips in a tight line. My green eyes glared into his dark brown ones, but our connection was never lost.

"A little island in North Blue with a name so long that I can't say it and you won't remember it," was my final answer, and I went back to my coffee.

The dark slightly-thick liquid sloshed against the sides of the mug as I twirled the glass. I could see myself staring at the dark, reflective surface. My green eyes showed remembrance, hurt, and betrayal. Only I could see it, though.

There was a small awkward silence until Ace spoke again.

"Well, is this all your two do? Sell things and take care of bets at that bar?"

"Pretty much… Faye gets the fabric and supplies to make the things with, we go back and forth with shifts over a few weeks, and I take care of the investing and banking. We're kind of like milk and cookies. One isn't as good without the other." Mia's analogy was sweet. This was one of those few moments where I couldn't help but love her like a sister and be proud of it.

He nodded, his shaggy black hair swishing slightly with the bob of his head. "Seems like you two got everything planned out. Ever wonder what else you could do? Maybe travel to different islands, sell more things?"

Was it just me, or was he indirectly asking us to come with him?

He grin answered my question.

"Now that you ask, Faye actually had that kind of idea when we first started in the business, but I'm not much of a traveler. I don't adapt to new things as well as she does." My god, Mia forgot to use her brain today, again.

Ace nodded, not continuing on with his small bit of questions. There was an awkward silence, even if I was the only one who could see it.

The clock in the kitchen suddenly struck ten, and all three of our heads snapped up. I was already supposed to have the shop open, and Mia was still supposed to be in bed. Funny how things never turn out like you want them to.

"Well, seems like my time is up here." Ace took his bright orange hat from the counter and plopped it over his shaggy hair.

"Already? I was hoping you'd stay a bit longer…" Mia pouted. He grinned even more, tipped the hem in a way to say a silent "thank you" (whether to her, me, or both of us I didn't know) and began walking out the back door of my home-slash-business.

That was the last of saw of him.

Well no, actually, I saw him after that. But when I did see him, it wasn't because of something good.

---

Faye slowly closed her eyes.

She hated this part of her story.

She hated it more than she hated the Marines.

She hated it more than she did her father.

She hated it more than she did when Blackbeard almost killed Ace.

She hated every bit of detail from this point of her story to when she met up with Ace again.

All it did was lead to yet another weakness to be shown by her.

---

I waved goodbye to a tourist who had decided to check out my shop and actually bought the silk kimono that hung on the wall. I was surprised when he wanted it, saying it was for his wife who was very into those types of things, and then sold it with only a bit of hesitation. I was going to miss that thing. It had been one of my first ever designs, and now the spot of where it had been for so long was empty.

That was the last I was taking today. My head was still pounding and I really wanted to go back to sleep. So, I did what I would usually do. I changed the "open" sign to "closed", locked the door and turned away to not open it again until tomorrow morning.

At least, that's what I was hoping to do.

A sudden sharp knock on the glass made my cringe. I really didn't want to have to replace it if someone broke it. I huffed, tempted not to turn around, but did anyways and faced the person on the other side of the door that had knocked.

He was tall, taller than me at least, and seemed to be irritated by me taking so long to open up with door again. I folded my arms, cocked a brow, and pushed out a hip. I would make him wait, I had the right to. At least, I did until the marines were involved.

He showed the symbol in the breast pocket of jacket. Shit, this guy was a marine.

I mentally told myself to relax, don't freak out, and answer whatever he asks you with the truth. Maybe then he won't come back.

I quickly unlocked the door and opened it. I definitely wasn't letting him in until he actually asked. This place was usually crawling with the custom-mades of many famous pirates out there.

"What can I help you with, sir?" I could be a brown-nosing little angel, when I wanted to be anyways.

He didn't look all too happy with me. If I was in his shoes, I wouldn't be happy either. I coughed slightly, choking on the thick smoke that came from the two cigars he was smoking. Wasn't one enough? He glared at me, and finally talked.

"Have you seen this, Pirate?" He held up a wanted poster. Of course the person I saw on it wasn't who I expected it to be. He didn't have the orange hat I gave him and I just know noticed the tattoo on his left arm. How had I not noticed it before? As a matter of fact, how did such a small fry newcomer get such a high bounty so quick?

That is… unless he wasn't a small fry. Oh. My. God. I just had a _criminal_ in my bed just this morning!

I shook my head, closing my eyes to show the truth that was shouting in them. Why was I saying "no"? I had seen that man! He could have violated me in my sleep and I would have never known it and–

"Nope, sorry. I've never seen a lad called…" I looked at the paper, making sure to mouth the letters out, alluding that I was pretty dumb. "Portgas D. Ace. Nope, never heard of him. Why do you ask? If I may ask, that is..."

The marine groaned and rolled his eyes. "From inside sources, it is said that he has been hanging out your store for the past two days. But, from what I can tell, that inside source needs to be a bit more observative…" He mumbled the last part, but I could still hear him.

"Keep the paper. He may show up. I heard your shop is pretty welcoming to some pirates…" His gray-green eyes scanned over the empty room full of clothes and forced the piece of paper into my hand. After I was sure he wouldn't turn around, I shut the door and walked to the back of the store at a regular pace. Once I was behind the curtain, though, my mind was into overdrive. The pounding from an alcoholic head was gone. All that was left was the worry and fear.

I had never been on the good side of some marines. This was an example to how screwed up my life was.

Mia looked worry, seeing me so scared and still. Most of the time, I would be yelling at her for wearing what she was wearing and move on to whatever I was going to do. This time, I was just quiet. My eyes were staring deep into the creases and cracks of the wooden floor.

"Faye…?" I looked up suddenly and pushed past Mia. I grabbed a bag, stuffed it with a few more daggers and grabbed my already full coat. Mia only watched with a bit of concern, trying to fix her red hair and look after me at the same time.

"Faye what's wrong? Who was the guy at the door?" I still didn't answer her. I packed the bag with a small change of clothes. When Mia saw this, she immediately stopped me, pulling me away from the bag and placing both hands on my shoulders. "Faye, answer me!"

"We're in trouble, Mia." She grew just as quiet and as still as I had been.

"What kind of trouble?"

I swallowed the forming lump in my throat; all of a sudden, my vocal cords didn't want to work.

"That guy at the door, he was a Marine. He's looking for Ace, and someone told him that Ace has been hanging around here lately. He thinks we have something to do with Ace." My explanation was jumbled up, and I shook with nerves. "Mia, we have to get out of here."

"What about the shop?" she asked suddenly.

I had forgotten all about the shop. Shit.

"I don't know Mia, but we have to get out of here. Pack as much as you can, I have to go find Ace and–"

"Go find him?! Faye, what are you talking about? Because of him, we're now accomplices in something! We have to get out of here before they come back; why would you want to go look for him?!"

I stopped and actually thought for the first time in five minutes. Why was I going after him? That was a good question.

"Because if it weren't for him then we wouldn't be in the mess. I'm going to drag his ass back here and make it better. That's why Mia."

I turned in a flash and ran out the room, then out of the back of the shop, still trying to put my coat on.

When I came back, Mia wouldn't be as lively as she was right now. Actually, she wouldn't _be_ alive at all.

----

**A/N:** _LE GASPO! _What shall happen next? :O Who knows? Oh wait; I DO! Ha-ha. Okay, so. Can you guess who our special appearance character is? (Really? I mean, _REALLY_? Is it that hard to tell it's him?) Alright, well, I'm very giddy because I actually know how I want this story to turn out. Aren't you all so proud of me? This has never happened before! :D

Oh, also, I'm very happy right now. You see, I'm a ROTC (yes, I am in the Air Force Jr. ROTC group at my high school), and I get to go to Military Ball in January. It's the 16th, which is on a Saturday, so don't be expecting any chapters that week or weekend. I'll be busy getting ready~ Anyways, so today, when I was supposed to be writing this chapter, I was out shopping with the most bestest grandmother in the whole world. She seriously spent like… $400 on me in only five hours. That's the most that has ever been spent on me at once in my whole life. I got this _gorgeous_ dark-navy blue looking dress that shines slightly whenever hit by the light correctly.

I also got my very first pair of formal high heels. (Yes, there is a difference.) So, like, I am BALLIN' right now. I can't wait till next Saturday. I get to wear it again and feel like Cinderella while poked with pins. :D I CAN'T WAIT!

Oh yeah, the next chapter will be out sometime really late tonight or sometime tomorrow after I get up.


	6. The Smoke That Kills

_**Warning: **__Angst near the end._

**Chapter Five: The Smoke That Kills**

"_Fire and gunpowder do not sleep together."  
~Proverb_

Why did there have to be crowds? Did people know that I needed to find Ace, or something? Did they know that this was a life or death situation and only wanted to make my life harder?

I pushed past people, being yelled at in the process but I ignored them. The weight from the knives in my coat hit my side every time I had to stop. It hurt, a lot, but I ignored it just the same as I ignored the people. Why did my shop have to be located so far from the harbor?

You're all probably wondering what exactly happened between now and the ten minutes ago when I ran out on Mia. Well, I'll explain.

I still had the Wanted sign clutched in my hand. I had asked myself, _"Where would I be if I were a pirate?_"

It was too early for any of the bars to be opened. Plus there really wasn't anywhere else to go this far into town that a pirate would want to be seen in. That only left the harbor. The harbor had docks. The docks had pirate ships anchored at them.

And thus is why I am running with death on my heels to find Ace. He got us, Mia and me, into this mess and he was going to get us out.

So, all I had to do was get to the docks, find him, drag his ass back to my shop (or even the Marine base. That would work perfectly too), and make my life a whole lot better.

The Beli that they had on his over-inflated head was just too much for me to take in unless I saw it.

"_Oof!"_ I let out when my face went smack-dab into some man's chest. I cursed myself for not noticing him there before, and I also cursed the sea for not letting it be Ace that I ran into.

"Whoa there, little lady. Where's the fire?" I had no idea how much of a pun that would be until later on.

I groaned, shagged my shoulders, and practically made myself dead weight on the stranger.

"I need your help. Actually, I need any and every bodies' help. I'm looking for a guy – Ace. He's a pirate, about six foot tall, has shaggy black hair and–"

"And is wearing an orange hat?" I looked up suddenly, surprised that the guy actually knew him. Alright sea, you have gained my respect back. Help me just a bit more!

"What business do you have with the Captain, Miss?"

Whoa, wait, _Captain_? Ace, the boyish idiot who, so-called, fell asleep accidently in my bed last night is a _CAPTAIN?_

What is wrong with this world? I thought captains were supposed to be old, liked rum, and smelt like gunpowder. This guy was nowhere near that. Ace was young, almost my age, I think he didn't like rum, and he smelt more like the sea than gunpowder. Okay, Faye, where is all of this coming from?

I stood up straight again and shoved the Wanted poster into the man's face. "You mean _this _idiot is your Captain?"

He took the paper from me and looked at it with a thoughtful look. "Unless Ace has got a twin suddenly with the exact same name, then yes. This "idiot", as you call him, is my Captain…and a pretty damn good one at that, too." Of course he would get defensive of his captain.

But why, then, was I so surprised by his tone of voice?

I took the paper back from him, looking at the printed face. Ace looked differently; maybe his hair had grown more or had he gotten more freckles? Or could it be that he had actually gotten those nice abs after the picture had been taken. Could it have been that he had on a black hat (much like the one I had made), other than the orange one that I had given him?

"Eh, lady, you gonna answer my question?" My head snapped back up and at the tall man.

"Oh, uh, yeah. I have to talk to Ace – er- your captain for just a few minutes. It's business stuff. Is he around?" I tried looking for his shoulder, but all I could see where ships, boats, the seafood market, and a large crowd of people.

But not orange-hatted, black shaggy haired, freckle faced pirate who always had a grin on his face. No Ace.

"What kind of business?" Oh my god, didn't you get it already?! My life is on the line and it's all because of your crappy "captain".

I sighed, groaned, and rubbed at my aching temples. I thought that stupid alcohol headache went away. Someone please just go ahead and shot me so I can get this over with?

"Faye?"

I turned on my heel suddenly with a look of pure happiness on my face when I saw Ace. Of course he was surprised with the look, but took it as a good sign.

"Finally! You have no idea long I have been looking for your ass!" Ace may have thought that I was going to hug him, which I could visibly see him getting ready for, but I did the exact opposite.

I slapped him.

Ace's subordinate, the one that I had run into, grabbed both of my shoulders as I tried attacking him again. The pirate captain showed a new version of surprise. I would too if someone sounded happy to see me then slapped me.

"What the hell was that for?!" he yelled, rubbing at his reddening cheek.

"What was that for? _What was that for_?!" Everyone around us suddenly stopped, interested in our "little" squabble. "That was for making Mia and me a couple of enemies of the Marines! If it weren't for you coming into my shop, I would be asleep right now, still trying to get over my hangover!"

I huffed and folded my arms. The hands of the guy behind me still didn't let go. "And I want my hat back."

"_Your_ hat?! I paid for this sucker! Unless you have two-thousand Beli on you, it's staying on my head from now on!"

I rolled my eyes. "You so did not pay for that. I gave it to you. So–" Wait. I had forgotten all about the Beli that had mysteriously appeared on my counter. "How did you…"

"A magician never reveals his tricks." He began grinning again. I narrowed my eyes. You can let go of her now, Hank."

"Hank's" hands let go of my shoulders, and I stumbled a bit forward. I didn't notice that I was depending on him to keep me up right.

I shook my head, and got back on topic. How could I have let him distract me?

"Anyways, the reason why I've been looking for your ass. A marine, some guy who smells really bad because of the cigars he smokes, came by my shop after I closed up early and–"

"Wait, _Smoker_ came to your shop?" This time it was Hank who interrupting.

I rolled my eyes and continued. "And asked for _you_, Ace." I pointed a finger at him. This was an accusation and conviction all in one. I accused him of being a criminal, and here was living proof that he was a pirate captain.

"Me? Why me?" I shrugged to answer him, and placed both hands on my hips.

"So, because of you, Mia and I are now on the run. I'm putting the blame on your neck. Mia is currently packing what she can. You are going to be a gentleman, if only for a day, get us out of here quickly and drop us off at the neck island." Ace raised a brow, not exactly liking the idea.

"And if I say no and leave you here?" He mused. Oh that was a bad idea.

"I cut off your tongue, so you can't scream while I castrate you and hand you over to the Marines," I answered in a sickly sweet, innocent sounding voice. Both men visibly shuddered at the thought. The crowd that had stopped to watch us suddenly disappeared, and we were left at the docks. Alone. "So, hop to it. I got a lot of things I plan on packing. You have to have money to make money."

----

After Ace and I had "compromised" on letting Mia and me stay on his ship until the next island, I quickly led him back to the shop.

There was that gnawing feeling again. I suddenly dreaded what I might find when I got home. Would there be Marines waiting? Would Mia not go with us? Did something even _worse_ happen?

When we came to the street of my shop, it was eerily quiet. No lights could be seen on, and it was quiet early in the day for everyone to be closed up already.

I ghosted through the alleyway that led to the back door of the shop. Ace was close behind; I could feel the heat rolling off his chest. Why was I suddenly so cold?

"Mia!" I called out. There was no reply. There was no sound.

The shop didn't creak when shifting on the foundation. The floorboards didn't creak when I stepped on a loose one. Actually, I couldn't even hear myself breath. It was so quiet, that I couldn't even hear myself think. The silence had made a noose around my neck, slowly choking me.

"Mia," I called again, still no reply.

"Mia, Mia!" I checked the front of the shop, but the lights were off and nothing seemed to have been moved since I locked up. The kitchen was empty too. The sink didn't drip any bit of the leak that it had had when we first bought the shop.

It was so quiet, that I could seriously hear the sea as if it were right outside my door.

"Mia, Mia!" I hurried to other rooms, only finding Mia's room and the bathroom empty. All that was left was my own room.

The door was only slightly jarred open, but I could see that the light was off. Had Mia already fled? Had she taken everything with her?

I reached out to push on it and almost jumped when the door creaked. Ace got closer to me, as if waiting for someone to jump out.

I screamed when I saw Mia.

My legs gave out quicker than I could even react to hitting the floor on my knees. Both of my hands covered my mouth, trying to muffle in the cries. Mia was staring at me with her dull, dead hazel eyes.

She was leaning against the bed, her head in a sickening position. There was a bullet wound from her temple where the bullet went in one and out the other. A puddle of blood was forming on the bed and slowly crawling down her barely-covered body.

They killed her. They killed her because of some unknown reason. All because of him.

"Faye… Faye come on. We gotta get out of here before they come back." Ace was trying to pull me back to my feet, but I was only dead weight now. My best friend, my sister, my savior had died. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be here. If it weren't for me, she would probably still be selling her body on the corner of some street. If it weren't for Ace, she wouldn't be dead.

Everything was crashing down. It was crashing down so quickly that I couldn't even breathe.

"Faye…" I pulled away from him and slowly crawled–slash–walked over to her. She was still just a bit warm, meaning she hadn't been… gone long. My brain was still processing everything that was happening, but the second I touched her blood spattered cheek, I knew that I could never have a regular life.

I wouldn't be able to have two loving parents and a few siblings. I wouldn't be able to have the friends I wanted and have the job that I loved to go to everyday. I couldn't find the love of my life, settle down in a house on the coast and have a few kids. I couldn't grow old as a mother, a sister, and a wife. I couldn't have what every other girl got. I was a reject of life. The events that were happening were just ways to make my death quicker. The scar on my chest proved it.

"Faye…?" I stood up suddenly, wiped the tears from my cheeks, and took a deep breath. Mia was still staring at me, but I wouldn't meet her eyes again. I grabbed the half packed bag at the end of my bed and continued filling it with the things that were scattered across the bed. Mia didn't move. Even more proof.

I kneeled and grabbed for the large book under my bed. It was quiet large, and about three or so inches thick; only a fourth of the pages had been used since I got it.

I opened it up to one of the pages that I knew was written on and looked at the dark lines that swirled across the page. Good, no one had gotten to it yet.

I closed it and placed it under my arm. The filled bag was in my other hand within only seconds and I was heading out of my room. Ace hesitated for a moment before following me. When I got to the front of the shop, I kept the lights off. I could still see the medium-sized black bag I was reaching for under the counter. It had all the Beli in it, and I would need it.

There was nothing else for me to take.

I grabbed one of the black hats off the shelf and placed it over my head. There was a bottle of alcohol sitting under the counter, and I grabbed that also. Dropping it onto the wooden floor, I made sure it made a big enough puddle before striking one of the matches that had "magically" appeared in my head.

When you have pure alcohol and a small fire, you soon get a much bigger fire.

Ace began freaking out on me, trying to figure out what I was doing. I only pushed him back, toward the backroom, and dropped the match. Things immediately began to turn black, and the smell was a bit too much for me. The only emotion I had on my face was that of pure sorrow.

"Mia said she wanted to be cremated. She didn't want to be buried in a box. She had lived in one her whole life." I wouldn't blame her. I wanted the same thing.

We were both outside of the shop by the time the other people on the street noticed that there was a large fire. I grabbed the gun from Ace's holster at his hip, and cocked it back. The door was closed, but the bullets would still hit their mark.

"There's a reason why gunpowder and fire don't sleep together," I mused with a dry laugh and pulled the trigger.

We fled the scene as the entire place began to completely come down.

Ace didn't ask any questions, just kept pulling me through a few of the shortcuts that would get us to the harbor faster. Slowly, but surely, I was dying. Mia was gone. I had no one else left. I was all alone in this world.

And all I got in return was being stuck on a ship with some thirty-odd men, and a captain who falls asleep at any given time. Yeah, I really wish I was kidding on this one.

----

**A/N:** I'll tell you the truth. I hate this chapter. It had no inspiration whatsoever to write it, yet _it turned out longer than any of chapter_ (so far). That's why it's probably crappy. I didn't hate it because I had to kill Mia, I didn't hate it because of the lack of transition, and I definitely didn't hate it because of anything other than I didn't have any inspiration. I really wanted to get as many chapters out as I could the weekend because not many will be coming out this week because of holidays. But, oh well.

Review and help me gain the giddiness I had when I first started this thing!

**ALSO.** I totally just noticed something that I wouldn't have if I hadn't done a little research on the Spade pirates. Ace actually left Fuschia with the hat. I didn't know that until now. BUT, I have an excuse to how this works out. You can't really tell in the manga if I'm correct on this or not, but the hat looks black. The one Faye gave him is orange. Somewhere in between leaving and meeting Faye, Ace "destroyed/lost" the black hat. IT ALL WORKS OUT…right? (Ya'll _have_ read chapter 552 of the manga, right?)

Please forgive any errors/mistakes. I _**really**_ didn't want to read over this chapter after writing it.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Spade Pirates, but seeing as they don't have any given names (yet), I only named them. Don't sure me, please. I don't get any money until Christmas, if any at all.


	7. The Captain and His Words

**Chapter Six: The Captain and His Words**

"_The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea."  
~Isak Dinesen_

Faye pushed the notebook and pen away from her as the tears finally came down. She missed Mia, her best friend, more than ever. Remember when she said some things needed to be locked away so that weakness couldn't be used again? This was one of those moments.

She wanted to lock away everything that she as feeling. The sorrow had already eaten away most of her soul, and now it was savoring the rest.

"Why…?" she whispered into the empty room. "Why Mia? Why not me, or someone else? She had so much to live for… I was only a reject of a human. I needed to die." The only answer given was another small breeze from the sea below her.

She sighed, wiping the salty tears away from her wrinkled cheeks.

She wouldn't dwell in the past. It had happened, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Seems I've lost count of the times I have cheated death."

But that was another story for another time.

---

I didn't watch as we sailed away from Loguetown. I didn't listen orders where shouted out to our next destination. No one touched me, or even got near me for that matter, as I sat off in a corner by the stairs that lead up to the quarter deck. My bag was propped against the railing, shifting every now and then whenever the ship hit a rocky wave.

That's exactly what my life was.

It was a ship hitting the rockiest waves through the worst storm. There were tall and fast ups with slow, bottomless downs.

I know, I sound like a very pathetic damsel in distress, but to tell you the truth…that _is_ what I was.

I was pathetic, hiding away and definitely in distress. Sure my Prince Charming wasn't exactly as I had expected (he didn't have shining armor and I still think he was lying about the whole "falling asleep" thing,) but oh well. Beggars don't whine.

Speak of the devil, here comes my "Prince" as we speak.

It was quiet again, not exactly quiet like it was back at the shop (just that thought made me go into another round of tears) but it was still an uneasy one. Ace sat beside me, moving the bag over so he could take its place.

I wouldn't like at him, I couldn't. I could still remember that just yesterday afternoon she was alive and well, flirting like she always was. And here was the main cause of her death.

"Go away." He didn't budge. He only moved closer. "I said, _go away_." Think of a threat, Faye. Those work really well! Think of one that will make him run home to his momma with his tail between his legs.

I finally looked at him; he was staring at me. "Are you deaf? I SAID–"

"I know what you said, but that doesn't mean I'm going to do it." I was shocked speechless. Great, now Mister "Hero" is being stubborn. Just another thing I need to add to my list…

I turned my eyes away from him and stared at the cracks in the wooden wall behind the stairs. I had nothing else to say to him. If he wanted to sit next to an emotionally-confused woman, more power to him.

Damn it was quiet. Where was everybody? _NO_. I wasn't going to give in and look around. I could feel Ace's brown eyes burning holes into the back of my head. I wasn't going to give in any longer and let me just be putty in his hands. I was a _woman_, god damn it. I was as stubborn as a mule, as sly as a fox, yet as beautiful as a peacock when I showed my true colors.

"You're going to have to move on, sooner or later." Whoa, _WHAT_?

This time, I couldn't stop myself from snapping my head back over to look at him.

"_Excuse me?!_" I bellowed, not particularly happy with him anymore. "You _did not_ just say that!"

Of course he wouldn't be fazed by me. I was just putting up a cover to protect myself from being seen as the broken girl. His brown eyes pushed past the already tumbling walls and right into the true me. The girl who was really shattered, not broken, inside; the girl who was needing someone to pick up the pieces and put them back together no matter how hard it was or how much pain they had to endure from the broken pieces.

Ace sighed, and covered his face with his hands. "I'm not good at these things, okay?!"

I blinked, my angered exterior disappeared.

I couldn't help but laughed. He looked at me as if I had lost my mind; I think I did just lose my mind.

And then there went the tears. My laugh turned into sobs and I buried my face in his shoulder.

Like I said, I am an emotionally-confused girl right now.

"You really _don't_ know how to comfort a girl when she's in her time of need, do you?"

"Well, I've never needed to be a Prince Charming before, so this is new to me."

I laughed again. Well, while I'm out of my mind, I might as well get to know this guy. Who knows how long it will take to get to the next island.

"Where am I going to sleep?" I asked. I _was_ actually curious about this one. The ship didn't look big enough to hold but only the Captain's quarters, the crew's quarters (which were probably under us as we speak) and maybe a storage room beside the captain's quarters.

"Well, seeing as you wouldn't be too happy to sleep with the crew," I made a face, but he couldn't see it. "I'll just give you my bed, and I'll take over this shift for the crow's nest for the night. Ratch needs the sleep, anyways."

No…could I really take his bed from him?

"Alright, that's fine." Well, I guess I could.

Ace muttered something under his breath; I guess he thought he _could_ keep his bed.

"Come on, then." Suddenly, I was lifted from the deck and standing on my feet. I wiped my eyes, trying to get the salty feeling off my cheeks and out of my eyes. Ace had already grabbed my bag and slung it over his shoulder. Then, he gently took my elbow and pulled me into the captain's quarters.

It was quite homey looking. The walls were of a dark wood with a few lamps and lanterns scatted across the room. There was a desk, looking as if it was rarely used but for only storing useless junk, that had a few opened maps and books on the surface. I couldn't exactly see what they were from my position, but they looked quite old.

The bed was big, not exactly on the level of _huge_, but it looked big enough to hold two to three people if needed. The sheets and comforter were of a dark red and black pillows lay at the top of the bed against the wall. It looked mighty comfortable right now.

"Night," and with that, I was alone in Ace's room.

Before my head had even touched the pillow, I was asleep.

---

And then I woke up.

My breathing was labored, and my mind wasn't exactly in the best position to know what was real and what was a dream. It was suddenly too hard to breath; the room had gotten stuffy over the few hours I had been asleep.

I sat up slowly and swept my sweaty bangs away from my eyes. I couldn't see anything but a small piece of the floor from where the moon filtered in through a window. I could smell the sea. It was a thick scent, something that comforted me and scared me at the same time. I hadn't exactly been out to see for awhile now. I wasn't used to the up-and-down feeling just yet.

Wrapping the sheet around my now bare shoulders, I slung my feet over the side of the bed and touched the floor. I could feel my clothes (what was with me and pulling my clothes off in the middle of the night? This has never happened before, until now…).

My feet slid across the floor, that way I wouldn't step on something that would make any type of injury to my foot.

My hand reached out for the door and I luckily got it on the first try. After I was out of the stuffy room and into the fresh ocean air, I could breathe perfectly. I took a few deep breaths and slowly let them out. It soothed me.

Gradually, my eyes ghosted across the deck and then followed the mast up to the small area of the crow's nest. What I did next surprised me greatly.

I tied the sheet around my body tightly, making sure it wouldn't fall if I let go of it, and began to grip at the net that led off to where I knew Ace was. Why was I going up there? Because I didn't want to be alone right now; I was at my most vulnerable and I wanted to be with someone. Ace was the only man on this ship that I trusted even if it was just a small bit.

After I had hoisted myself up the whole way, I peaked over the edge of the wooden platform and looked at Ace.

He was staring off at the sea, not knowing that I had just climbed the whole way up here in a sheet and what I called "undergarments". (Just so you know those "undergarments" were nothing more than a few pieces of clothes sewed together just so I could have something under my clothing.

"Got any room for another?" I asked out of the blue. He jumped slightly; surprised to see me already halfway in the small opening that was used for an entrance and exit. Ace was helping me in, careful not to let his hands slip into the opening folds of the sheet. Once I was fully in and leaning against one side of the crow's nest, him on the other, I fixed the sheet to still cover what needed to be covered.

"What are you doing up here?"

"I couldn't sleep." Simple as that.

"Oh…"

There was a silence between us, neither comfortable nor awkward. It was just there because we had nothing else to say.

I looked at Ace, he looked at me.

"I want to apologize for… for how I acted earlier. I'm not a very good person to be around when I'm emotional, or, well… I'm not a good person to be around as it is." And then, there was that grin again.

Everything went back to normal within just those few seconds between us. I definitely had a new adventure before me. Maybe I was already moving on, away from Mai's death, and I didn't know it…

"It's 'kay. I can understand why you were what you were. It's only human."

Those last three words finally made me realize something that I hadn't before.

We're all human (save for the few who weren't) and we all made mistakes, we all had our emotional-breakdown moments, and we all died (sooner or later).

"You know, Ace, you're okay once you get past the flirty exterior."

And we were back to our old jokes and fun. Sure, we weren't exactly friends and we were exactly acquaintances. We knew each other, hell we knew a lot about each other if we would just realize it, but we didn't have the relationship that friends had.

"Thanks. You aren't so bad yourself, Faye."

My heart fluttered. Damn, I loved the way he said my name– _WHOA._ Slow down, Faye. You just _met_ the guy!

"CAPTAIN!" The both of us looked over the edge of the crows next at the yell, and saw; uh…what's his name? Oh yeah! We saw Hank making as much noise as he could. Why was he trying to wake everybody up? "Captain Ace! We got Marines on our tail, and they're coming up quick!"

Wow, Marines? How did they catch up to us so fast?

Both Ace and me looked away from Hank and then to behind the ship.

Sure enough, we had marines coming after us.

Well damn. Yet another peaceful moment ruined.

---

**A/N**: Okay, I hate this chapter SO much more than I hated the last chapter. Again, no inspiration, but I do have a bunch of ideas. Although, the main ideas for this chapter I actually got from _girlkitsune_. She has become my new best friend. :D

OH, YEAH. Do you know how many hits this story has gotten? _**825**_ hits! You know how happy that makes me? It makes me so happy, that you get another chapter tomorrow! (hopefully we'll hit 1k hits by Kwanz-anaku-stmas!

Also, I know you all have lots of questions, and, I want you all to review what those questions are! I want to make sure all the questions you have are answered somewhere in the story. If they already have been answered, yet you still ask, I'll point out where the answer is and put you under my "I love my gifted-retards" list. :D That sound good? OH, and I want songs! Anything that you suggest me listening to, tell me about it! I need something to listen to while writing chapters. (I was mainly listening to Incubus, Coldplay, Rihanna, and Beyonce while writing this.)

TrulyMadlyDeeply Yours,  
Bri.


	8. The Fire That Protects

**Chapter Seven: The Fire That Protects**

"_Man is the only creature that dares to light a fire and live with it. The reason? Because he alone has learned to put it out."  
~Henry Jackson Vandyke, Jr._

"Stay up here, Faye." And then, I was alone yet again. I could hear the yells of more orders on this ship (which I had yet to learn the name of) and the Marines' own orders. But there was one word that each captain said that made me realize that I could die here and now.

"FIRE!"

There was a blast of cannons, and my body vibrated with the echo. Our ship wasn't hit, the marines' was.

I clutched the maroon sheet even closer to me, trying to disappear against the wooden platform. My heart's beat was with rhythm of the yells and sounds of cannons. We weren't hit, but I could still hear the splashes of the cannon balls when they hit the water and rocked the boat.

And then it was quiet. It was almost as bad as back at the shop, so eerie. It was as if it was waiting to be cut by a hot, thick sword.

I leaned over the edge of the crow's nest, looking down at the deck. The crew was on the forecastle part of the ship (the front) while Ace was standing all by himself on the quarterdeck (the back of the ship). What the hell was he doing?

Sure, Ace was strong, I guess; he was able to get a good-sized crew to follow him, but that doesn't mean he's invincible!

I opened my mouth to yell at Ace, telling him how stupid he was and to get his ass back up here, but the words were lost when a large column of fire shot from his out-stretched fist. My green eyes stared off, watching the wisps of orange, red, and yellow speed faster and faster to the marines. It was stopped though, to my utter amazement, by a white cloud of smoke that matched it in size.

My mouth hung open; I was too surprised to knock some sense into myself. That was… beyond amazing. How did he do that? Was he not human? Did he have magical powers or something?

…had he eaten a Devil's Fruit?

"Oi, Miss Faye!" I was pulled away from my thoughts and I looked away from the watery battlefield. Hank was directly under the crow's nest staring up at me. "What are you doing up there?! No, wait, never mind, it's good that you're up there. Just stay there and don't come down until I or the Captain says so!"

I already knew that. Actually, my natural instinct told me to stay up here, but I wasn't going to be that easy to keep a hold on. I disappeared away from the edge and tightened the knots around my waist and chest. It was now or never…

A loose rope hung only a few feet away from the crow's nest. Either I jump to reach it and swung down to the deck, jump to be death, or stayed here like a coward. I wasn't going to be a coward, and I had already cheated death many times, I might as well push my luck now.

"AHH!!" Not very bad-ass sounding is it?

I screamed as I jumped for the rope, now figuring out that part of the sheet was caught on a floorboard. With one hand holding tightly onto the rope and the other half holding the sheet and half holding the rope, I swung around the crow's nest until it suddenly came to a break-neck stop. I screamed again, this time louder, when I flew over the heads of the crew and into the dark waters of the sea.

Of course, I didn't hit the waters, but I wasn't exactly saved by anybody I wanted to be.

A cloud of white smoke surrounded me, holding me as if it were metal clasps. I couldn't move, and I was pissed about this because the sheet was slipping and now ripped from where it had been caught.

Life just didn't want to be on my side.

"FAYE!"

I could barely hear Ace over the roar of the waves and the shouts of the Marines.

When I was placed back on solid ground, I stumbled back and hit the railing of the ship. I stared, suddenly scared to be in front of a lot of marines. Especially when I had nothing on under this sheet.

"I knew you looked familiar, almost like your father… should have known it was you, Callaghan Fayette."

The sound of my real name made me instantly turn from the scared, defenseless girl into one that could kill with just a look.

"How do you know my father?"

The man chuckled, obviously amused by something. I was angered, no; I was beyond pissed off actually. _No one_ had the right to call me by that name. _No one_.

"Who doesn't know Vice-Admiral Callaghan Vian?" True, who doesn't? "The infamous pirate captain who turned against his own men and became a Marine… he is, after all, in the history books."

I growled, not caring anymore about the sheet. If it was ripped, it was ripped.

"What do you want? Does my father want to bring me back to "home" and make me into a pretty, little Marine like my brother?" My voice was sickly sweet, but my eyes betrayed everything. "Well too, damn bad. I don't want to go to that Hell hole."

He smirked smugly, "I'm not after you, you just happened to run into the wrong pirate at the wrong time. " And then he added, "Seems I killed two birds with one stone."

But that smirk soon disappeared until it turned completely upside down and into a frown.

"Not today, Smoker!" Something, or should I say some_one_, grabbed me by my waist, and I was lifted back up into the air. This was getting quite annoying, the part of being slung around in the air.

"Letting a pirate fight your battles, Callaghan?!"

I growled, pissed off yet again. "Ace, let me go."

"Uh, Faye, if you haven't noticed, we are currently swinging between two ships, and I for one can't swim because I am basically can anchor. I don't think you want to be stuck in water when no one can save you."

Oh, so I was a weakling now, eh?

"I said, _LET ME GO_!" And, well, I was let go, but I hit a very hard, wooden deck instead of the water I wanted to welcome with open arms. Damn, he got me good on that one.

"Hank, full speed ahead!" I pulled my face from off the filthy deck and watched as yet another large column of fire sprouted from Ace's arm. I was silenced, much to my internal frustration, by that mere thing alone, slowly watching as the fire spread all the way up his arm and then disappearing into the bright sky to hit the other ship. It was stopped again, but I didn't really notice it.

"Benji, get Faye outta here!"

I was pulled to my feet, my eyes still watching the occupied Ace.

"Come on, Miss Faye. We gotta obey the Captain's orders."

My head slowly turned away from Ace, not wanting to look away from the amazing scene, and too the lightly tanned face of a boy not but a year or two younger than me. I could only nod and let myself be dragged away and into the captain's quarters. The boy, Benji, sat me down on the bed and collected my clothes from the floor. They were placed beside me, not exactly neatly but they weren't wrinkled, and I listened to the sounds of the outside fight.

I closed my eyes, slowly taking in everything that was happening.

I wasn't in Loguetown anymore, Mia was dead, I was in a ripped sheet on a ship full of men that could easily overpower me if they wanted, and I had a ship full of Marines not far behind that crew of men that wanted to capture me (and Ace, oh, they definitely wanted Ace) and take me back to my father. Then again, maybe my father _didn't_ want me.

I had to do something. I wasn't just going to sit here and wait for the "okay" to come out. No, I'm not that kind of girl. Sure, I can't fight worth a shit, but I still have my own talents.

Damn it! What was I going to do?

"Miss Faye?" I pulled away from my thoughts and looked at the boy. "It's really quiet out there…" It wasn't until Benji pointed it out that I noticed it too. It had indeed gotten quiet out there. I stood up from the bed and began walking to the door.

"Miss Faye! No don't-"

I opened the door and came face to face with a tired, yet pissed looking pirate captain. I never thought I would ever see that look on his face. It wasn't…Ace. Sure, I barely knew the guy, but by the way he acted within the small amount of time that I knew him I could figure out that he wasn't the kind to get angry quickly.

"We'll be docking in about two hours. Get ready."

I blinked. Huh?

"But what about the-"

"We lost them. Like I said, get ready to get off."

Whoa, wait, what was with the sudden mood swing?

"Benji, get back to work."

"Yes sir!" the little cabin-boy saluted his captain and ran off to do what needed to be done.

"See ya in a few." Ace left and I was alone again.

And I was very confused.

First he tells me t not do anything stupid (indirectly) and then saves my ass. Next, he's putting a cabin-boy on guard to be my babysitter, and then he's telling me that I have to leave (again, indirectly)?

Oh yeah, I was really confused.

But I had more things to worry about; one of those being the fact of actually getting out of this sheet. I locked the door, making sure no one came in while I changed, and pulled on the familiar black pants, white blouse, green sash and purple coat. I had never liked revealing clothing, something that Mia and I clashed at.

I cringed. Damn, the thought of Mia still hurts…well, why wouldn't it?

Shaking my head and trying to get rid of my thoughts, I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder. The night had gone by faster than I expected. I could already see the first rays of the sun coming off the horizon.

I rubbed at my tired eyes. _Now_ I wanted to get some sleep. Of course, things like this always happen.

The deck was bustling, everyone now up from the fight that went on. It was hard to believe that I was so close to getting caught by the Marines.

I knew I should have stayed in North Blue. I knew I should have just stayed with mom and learned to be a quiet, obedient wife like her. I knew I should have never followed my dream of traveling and actually becoming a seamstress.

But then again, none of these great things would have happened.

I didn't see Ace again until after the Spade pirates, I had finally learned their name, docked on the small island. They had to leave quickly, though. Marines were still after them. Ha, I find this sort of funny. _Ace_ of the _Spade_ pirates; reminded me of the card, actually.

Ace didn't say anything when I finally walked off the ship with my bag slung over my shoulder. He gave a wave and one of his grins, but it wasn't one of those real grins.

And after that, months passed by like seconds.

**A/N: **Guys… I think I've lost my "spunk" for the story (a reason why this chapter is so short). I have so many ideas I want to get out, but I just can't seem to find the want to actually write stuff… BUT, as my New Year's resolution, I promise to finish this story.

Also, on a different note, I think I'm going to lose a few readers because of this chapter… Yes, I made Faye's brother and dad in the marines, get over it. Yes, her real name is "Fayette" but she goes by Faye. Now on a similar not to chapters, the next one will hopefully be out before or by the weekend. I have to look over some things and do a bit more research, but I'm thinking I can actually go with my plotline. Of course, I have no idea how I'm actually going to end the whole thing because of it's going on with the manga. (And I'm really pissed with that because I want to know if Ace dies or not, damn it!)

Also, go read A Fairy's Tale of Memoirs and Maps if you haven't already. It's little drabbles and things that I think of. **MAJOR** warning though, there are spoilers for future chapters in there.

Another thing I want to point out before wrapping this up. Since starting this story on the 21st of December I have gotten 34 reviews, 17 favs, 16 alerts, and close to 1,500 views. Do you know how FUCKING ELATED that makes me? EVERYONE GETS BROWNIE POINTS! (Expect you Eli. You just get to have a quiet night to you and your stupid TV, you horrible story-baby's daddy. :P)

-Bri.


	9. The Truth About Time and How it Passes

**Chapter Eight: The Truth About Time and How it Passes**

"_The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once."  
-Albert Einstein_

Fine, fine, I'll admit it.

Those two and a half months didn't pass by like seconds. They took too damn _long_ to pass by to even be anywhere near like feeling as if it were only a decade or so.

So many things happened in those two and a half months to make it seem like it went by not near enough quickly.

I was so glad some of those things had happened, but, there were also times where I felt like just giving up. But I _wasn't_ going to give up. I was stronger than that. I was _not_ some whiny little four year-old who needed to be walked through everything. Of course, I did curse the existence of my father many times, and I did wish I was back at home with my mother, but I couldn't take anything back.

I wouldn't let myself take anything back.

----

Faye dropped the pen to mark her place in the notebook and began to flex out her left hand. Her old muscles were aching from having to be bent in angles that they hadn't been bent in for a very long time. She actually missed having to sit for hours at a time to make her maps in the book and keep a steady hand no matter how quickly she wanted it to be done with. And having the fingers of a seamstress only helped with that a bit since making details on the maps were quite easy.

She leaned back in the chair and looked up at the night sky. An oil lantern was giving her the light she needed, but she still felt so in the dark. After letting out a frustrated sigh, her lips forming into an almost perfect 'o', she stood from the wooden chair and grabbed the lantern; Faye would work on her story tomorrow.

Her memories could wait until the morning to be written into a notebook that wouldn't be read for awhile now.

So, Faye left her small study, slowly dragging her feet to her bedroom. Once there, she slipped into the large bed and lay on her back. She could remember all those times she had slept on her stomach with her head resting on _his_ chest . . . Just the thought of his unnatural warmth sent a nostalgic feeling through her.

Faye would wish on every star in the sky to not fall asleep alone, for just once.

It seemed those stars had yet to get her wish.

----

I tried to cover up my yawn with my hand, but it was still known to everyone around me that I was tired. I'd been traveling for two and a half months now. Luckily, I hadn't ran into anymore Marines, so I was safe and even had a large amount of Beli left to spend at my heart's desire. Of course I never stayed in on town any longer than a few days. We wouldn't need someone getting a little iffy around a newcomer that just happens to wear pirate clothing.

So, right now, I was in some small town on the island the Spades dropped me off on and I was looking for lunch. I had seen a homey looking restaurant when I first walked in, but I didn't want 'homey'. They would want to get close, know who I was. I couldn't let that happen.

The town wasn't that big, and it didn't look to have anything else other than that small restaurant, a bank, a store, and bunch of apartments. Maybe I could just skip this one and go to the next one?

"Ilayda?"

I blinked, surprised at how the voice sounded directed to me. I turned my head and looked behind me.

"Oh thank the seas, Ilayda!"

A woman, looking somewhere within her elder years, ran from the store's opening to stand only a few feet away from me.

She stopped, though, and gave me a look, as if she was trying to figure out something.

"Ilayda never had green eyes . . . she always had blue."

I blinked again. "Uh . . . Maybe because I'm not Ilayda?" The lady didn't move, just continued to stare at me. Who was this Ilayda person, anyways? What could have possibly gotten her mixed up with me?

"No, no. You _are_ Ilayda! You look exactly like her . . . for other than the height and the eyes."

After going back and forth a few times with the woman, and becoming very irritated in the process, she finally gave up on me being 'Ilayda' and went back to her shop.

Now that I think about it, though, 'Ilayda' sounds like a familiar name. Where have I hear it before- WAIT.

"OI! Old lady!" I ran after her, she couldn't know her . . . could she?

When I entered the store, I found it to not exactly be a grocery store. There was basically everything there, just in small portions. Now, when I say 'everything', I mean _everything_. There was fabric and pans, food and weapons, the newest in Marine technology and even a few wanted signs near the technology. It seemed not too many people liked pirates here.

"What you got with the Old Will?" I looked over at the counter. A man, his small gray scruffy beard stood out against his black and brown hair.

"Huh?" Who, or_ what_, was 'the Old Will'.

The man rolled his eyes and closed the book he had opened up on the counter. "What business do you have with old Miss Willow? I'm expecting you're the reason she ran out in the middle of explaining something to me."

He stood up, I just noticed he was actually sitting on a stool, but he was still quiet taller; much taller than me, that's for sure, but that wasn't the part that intimidated me. It was the nice-sized pistol that rested on his hip. I had never been a very big fan of guns since I hated loud noises, and I only touched them when I had to. (For example, back at the shop with Mia and everything. The first time I had touched a gun in two years.)

"Oh, uh, yeah. She thought I was someone named 'Ilayda'. I had a question about the person, but it seems pointless now so I'll just-"

"You look like her exactly like her, Fayette. It's just the eyes. You got your old man's eyes."

My eyes narrowed dangerously. How did he know who I was?

"What are you talking about?" I had the perfect reach of any weapon in my coat, so if he tried anything (even if with a gun) I'd be ready. "How do you know my name? Who exactly is this 'Ilayda' person?" Cautiously, I began to back up, just in case I needed to make a run for it. I hated moments like these. They took the 'nice' and 'quiet' out of "nice, quiet little town".

The man chuckled, seemingly amused by my sudden quickness to be defensive.

"Maybe you know her better by 'Gran Ida'."

My eyes suddenly widened.

"What? Don't look so surprised, Faye. I know about you, and your brother, and your father. After all, the Callaghan family was full of a bunch of lying, deceiving cowards." His eyes narrowed as he looked at me. I looked back, my eyes daring him to say anymore to add to his death wish.

"Don't you _dare_ call me a coward! I may lie and I may deceive, but I had my reasons. But I **_do not _**run from a fight!" I was beyond pissed.

But his look turned into that of a grin. "Alright, I take it back. Maybe it's only the male Callaghan's. I guess the Emery blood in you outweighs the Callaghan." He turned away and suddenly disappeared behind a curtain. Now, I was confused. No, I was beyond confused.

I was bewildered, perplexed, puzzled; _**very**_ confused.

All I really wanted to do now was get away quickly before anything bad happened. This guy knew my family, how I don't know, but he knew.

Sadly, my curiosity ate away and I was unconsciously dragging myself (quietly so I wasn't detected) to behind the counter and peaking through the curtain. I gasped loudly at what I saw.

The whole back of the store had basically been turned into storage room for almost every non-owned katana, sword, and dagger in the world.

"Ah-ha, here we go!" I turned away from the shelf, making sure to keep my hands in my pockets so I didn't touch anything. When it came to anything shiny, I was the person you would least want around. "Two katanas, both haven't been used in about forty years, and their dusty old sheaths that come with them."

The two covered blades were shoved into my arms. And then, I was forcefully turned around pushed back out into the front of the shop. Again, I was very confused. Why did I have these things?

"Have a nice day and thanks for stopping by!" Suddenly, I was outside the shop.

Wait, I'm supposed to be inside. I still haven't even asked that old Willow person anything yet!

"Oi, wait! I still got some unanswered questions!" I dropped the swords in my arms on the ground and pounded on the locked door. Nothing happened, though; it wouldn't budge. "Ugh, damn it old man! Open up this door or I'll break it down!" I pounded harder, even added a few kicks. But this time, I heard no snickers or chuckles, I heard no shuffles, I only heard a pregnant silence. Hell, the whole town was quiet.

After standing, leaning against the door with my forehead pressed against the slightly cool wood, I sighed and gave up.

I looked down at the two katanas lying on the ground. That's when my eyes widened.

_It can't be_ . . .

My mother didn't get these swords because she gave up on Grandma before I was born. I couldn't do that, though. I wouldn't end up, the wife of an evil man and the mother of two rivaling siblings. I never knew my grandmother, so I could gladly take them.

This was one of those lessons about my heritage that my mother taught me that I'm glad I remembered.

"Well guys, it seems like it's just us, now." I picked them up and hook the melt clasps onto my belt that my sash easily hid. "Seems like we're on our own from here."

And to tell you the truth, I didn't want to be alone.

That reminds me, I owe that guy a good slap and 'the Old Willow' a few questions when I see them again.

----

Faye stopped her writing, yet again. She dropped the pen from her left hand and rubbed her sleep encrusted eyes. The sun had risen hours ago, it now being a bit past noon, and her stomach was starting to give the signal to go get something to eat. So, she did as her stomach said.

The house Faye lived in was big, big for one person but quiet small for a family of four.

She travelled down the small hall and to the stairs. There she took exactly seventeen steps before reaching the kitchen. The from the kitchen was a small opening room that she sat in to read when winter came, so she could be warm by the fireplace, plus it was the biggest room in the house, next to the kitchen and the study.

From the kitchen, Faye could see a small platform nailed to the wall. On top of it was a small wooden rack. In that wooden rack were two very familiar katanas. Of course, they hadn't been used in almost forty-something years, so all they could do was collect dust.

Her appetite suddenly disappeared. She would worry about food later; right now she needed to get back to her book. Faye turned away from the open archway and left the kitchen. She was back walking up stairs in no time, but she was having a bit of trouble.

What should she write next? There were a few things that happened, but they weren't as important as some others that came in between or after.

Faye confused to muse over her thoughts, unconsciously making the correct turns to get back to her study. Time seemed to have passed by so slowly, but she had actually spent over half an hour just down stairs, staring at the many things that reminded her of her past.

Faye blinked. Speaking of time. . . "What time is it?"

Oh well, she'd just have to find out later.

----

**A/N:** OMGGGGG. I finally got a chapter outtttt. :D Aren't you all proud of me?

Yes, yes, I know, it's very late, and I would like to deeply apologize for that, but school is out to get me, plus I just got back from my Military Ball barely an hour ago. I'll get a picture of my dress up so all of my lovely readers can see, later. ;D

And you wanna know the funny thing? I practically had this thing done YESTERDAY (Friday night). I just had to make an ending, which I must say SUCKS. And yes, it was short; it was a filler, what did you expect? Oh, I want to point something out. **NO. Faye will not become an "OMG-I-Can-FIGHT-automatically!" person. **She can't fight worth a crap, and there is an actually plot-line reason why she gets the swords (no she doesn't fight with them. She tries, but fails epically,) plus I hate people like that . . . SO.

Review please?


	10. The Street Corner Symphony of Ink

**Chapter Nine: The Street Corner Symphony of Ink**

"_We should consider every day __lost__ on which we have not danced at least once. And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh.__"  
- __Friedrich Nietzsche _

It's amazing how some things can change a person's find faster than someone can say "hello".

For example, wine and beer are one of those things. For me, wine it just my little guilty pleasure that I can't get enough of. Beer, and any other type of alcohol, only enters my system when I've been changed, or I've had a very pissy day.

Then again, things like "love" and "hate" can also change a person's mind.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself. That's later on in my story, so I'll just stick to the basics of this chapter in my life.

So, to make it simply simple, this day was the beginning of the rest of my life.

And it was all because I decided to get something put on my shoulder that would last forever.

----

Faye smiled. Her head was turned around as far as she could get it, but she could still see the fading black imprint on her back from the mirror that she had her back to. It wasn't everyday that an old woman would just stare at her back, using a mirror, and reminisce on the old days. It, the faded black imprint, would last forever, long past death until her skin was no more, but the memory of it would be imprinted in everyone's heart, just like it had been imprinted on her skin.

She could still remember the quick, steady buzz of the needle. The soft conversation that she had had, trying to ignore the pain of something like sharp glass scratching against her skin, was still fresh in her mind.

She could still remember the ache that she had had, and it lasting well over a month. Salt water helped, even if it was just a little.

Hm, it seemed like she was having another one of her writing urges yet again; funny how she kept getting those.

----

It started out like all the others had for the past almost-three months.

I woke up.

I disappeared from the inn I had been lodged at – making sure to pay my respected fines.

I continued on with my way, but still stayed within the small town. Turns out, this was only a smaller part of a much larger city. And it turns out, that the large city was the port that I had been dropped off in no less than two and a half months ago. Funny how those kinds of things worked out.

I wouldn't admit until later on, but I was actually quiet glad that I had travelled farther away from the street of shops to smell the salty musk of the sea.

It took me almost three months, but I had traveled the whole island. And so, I was now back in the port town that I had been dropped off. Oh how I loved walking in circles sometimes. Now I had time to see the rest of the port that I hadn't gotten a chance to when I was dropped off. Who knew how many Marines would be around.

My heart began to ache suddenly when I saw a girl, just a bit younger than me, walking with her friends. They seemed to be having a girls' day out. The girl had a head of flaming red hair...

The death of Mia was still there in my mind, but it was beginning to fade. I could still remember her fiery red hair and laughter filled eyes. I missed all of her stupid moments. How she actually understood all those equations that go with math I'll never know. That's just Mia for you.

The same barely-dressed, impulsive, childish, once- tattooed Mia Kelvin. I could still remember when I had been there when she got her first tattoo. She was trying so hard not to cry as she grinned at me, waving off the pain as the guy ran the needle across the back of her neck. Mia had always had a fascination with tattoos; most of the guys she got into relationships with had many tattoos. Mia had just finally gotten up the courage to get a tattoo herself.

Mia leaved up to her name; rebellious, a child who wishes and goes for it. The shooting star she got as a tattoo helped prove that. And that was the first, and last, tattoo Mia Kelvin dared get on her skin.

That's when the sudden memory of Mia trying to talk me into actually getting a tattoo myself flashed through my mind.

"_Please Faye?"_

"_Hell nah, Mia. Ya should be smarter than that. I _dun't _do those kinds of things."_

"_Just this once, though! Go against what others expect from you. It can be small, but PLEASE?!"_

"NO,_ Mia. This is the last time I'mma telling ya, too. Now go and . . . do something! I have ta finish this order and ya're distracting me."_

"_Fine. But mark my words, I'm going to keep bothering you about it until you get one."_

True to her word, Mia did bug me about getting one. We would have the same argument over and over again, but I wouldn't dare get one. Mia even went as far to design a tattoo that she wanted me to get. Of course, she found it amusing when my name, Faye, actually meant "fairy". So, that led to her constructing her own version of wings that would "_fit your personality perfectly, Faye!_"

Those were her exact words.

And here I was, actually musing over the thought of getting one. Well, it could be a slight reminder, even though I wouldn't DARE forget Mia, of her. And her unusual craziness that I missed so much.

Alright Faye, time to move onto a new topic.

Let's see… it was lunch time.

And my stomach was showing signs of begging for food so…

To the nearest restaurant!

If only it had been that easy.

So basically, I was stuck in a town, city, port, whatever you want to call it, with no idea of where I was going. I swear a group of guys were following me, but every time I looked there was no one but a few people going in and out of a few shops. To put it even simpler than that, I was lost. I never liked to admit I was lost, I was just stubborn like that, but I was.

In the end, I did what any person, who was too stubborn to admit they were lost, would do. I began making random turns down street after alleyway. And fate might as well have it that I ended up on _that_ street corner.

The sign wasn't flashy, nor was the outside of the... it couldn't be called a shop since it looked more like a shack. It only made it worse that it was the only shop on the street; the others were boarded up or nothing but ruins now. This actually made me think twice about getting a tattoo now, but someone once said, "Never judge a book by its cover."

Too bad I was one of those people that _did_ judge a book by its cover.

_**The Street Corner Symphony of Ink**_

That's what the sign said, and it was a nice name too. My mind could only come up with the conclusion that fate had led me to a tattoo shop. The thought of lunch was forced to the back of my mind as I grew closer and closer to the shop.

But I was still hesitate on actually going anywhere near the place.

I could see a man sitting at a desk that was in the middle of the shop. He had his feet propped up on the desk, and he seemed to be sleeping the way he had his eyes closed and head leaned back. Maybe I should come back later after I eat lunch. That way I could think over what exactly I was getting myself into and–

_SHIT!_

My foot was stumped against a loose piece of concrete as I slowed my pace toward the shop. It caused me to go flying forward, and the only thing I had to catch myself with was the door.

And to make my luck even better (or worse) the door opened when I leaned against it to catch my balance. This made a very annoying bell begin to ring, alerting the sleeping man until he was awake and trying to figure out what was going on.

The look on his face when he saw me was nothing but pure joy. It was like he was finally getting to eat after weeks of nothing, or finally seeing a loved one after years of being separated. It was as if I had just saved his life.

"Hi, there! Welcome to _The S.C.S. of Ink_! I'm Alastair, but you can call me Al. I'll be happy to help you with anything and everything that you need to know about tattoos! From our prices, to the different designs we have to offer. Of course your own designs would be perfectly fine too. Hey, you look familiar, have we met before? What's your name? Where do you come from? Is this your first tattoo or do you know what it's like to get one? Then again, you don't look like the kind of girl to–"

"Al, _SHUT UP!_"

I jumped a bit at the annoyed-sounding voice and looked to see a woman slipping out from behind a curtain that most likely led to the backroom of the shop. The man, known as Al and a bit of a rambler, rolled his eyes, but did actually keep quiet.

The woman, a short haired white-blonde woman who actually seemed older than myself and even had a few tattoos for herself on her arms and showing legs, huffed with annoyance and folded her arms under her chest. She looked to me, the awkwardly standing me who was still gripping onto the door trying to keep my balance, that was a bit frightened to say anything.

"Can we help you hun?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. With a bit of courage that I was finally starting to build up, I stepped forward and let the door swing shut.

"Actually, yeah. I was hoping ta get a tattoo, but seeing as it's mah first time and I have nah idea offa what I'm going to need and knowing that it will probably hurt since I've seen a friend get one, I was wondering if you could give me a bit of info."

The white blonde woman raised a brow and glanced over at the happy-go-lucky looking Al.

"Well, hunny-child, I believe you came to the right place. I'm Syra, Al's my younger cousin so ignore him if you please. He gets a bit excited, especially since we haven't had a customer in the past few weeks. I'll be the one doing the tattoo since Al here is still in training and can't seem to sit still for more than a few minutes."

I nodded. My bag was dropped to my feet as I stood closer to the desk. Syra, the woman who I was starting to like since she sounded much like my Aunt Darien, grabbed a few books and plopped them down onto the desk. Al was just smiling; his teeth not exactly pearly white but they weren't a nasty yellow either.

"We got a bunch of things to pick from, and there isn't really much you needed to know. It just depends on the type of tattoo and where you want to get it. So, I leave you to flip through and–"

"Actually, Syra, I was wondering if ya could do a custom design for mah. I already have it with mah, seeing as I neva go anywhere without it. Could ya take a look?"

She seemed a bit surprised, but nodded anyways and pushed the books aside.

This is where I brought out my own book – the one filled with many works-in-progress maps, outfit designs, and even a few of Mia's doodles that she had snuck in there. One of the many doodles was the one of the fairy wing that she had come up with to make me get a tattoo of. My name was in the tattoo, seeing as the whole thing wouldn't really make since without it.

Syra rubbed her chin, glancing down at it and moving the book in a few different angles to see what it would look like.

"Ya know, this actually wouldn't look that bad on ya. I'm assuming you want it on your back right?"

I nodded without actually thinking about where I wanted the thing. So, I just took Syra's indirect advice and would get it on my back.

"Alright, color, size? We'll worry about price once we get there, but it won't go over about ten-thousand Beli."

It wasn't until now that I truly realized that I was in the beginning process of getting a tattoo. If Mia was alive, and I had actually gotten one without her being there to gloat about me finally giving in, she would kill me; even if the whole tattoo was designed by her and being gotten in her memory.

"Uh…" That made me think, though. What color? I wasn't going to waste all of my money on something that could possibly give me ink poisoning. So, just black? It was cheap that way, and if it faded I wouldn't have a huge patch of mis-colored skin. Then again, there would be a bit of space on my skin that was gray…

"Black… no bigger than my hand." Alright, simple enough. Syra nodded; she was already jotting down things and sketching out her scratchy version of the fairy wing. "Like I said, my back – left shoulder blade perhaps?"

Five minutes later, after Syra had finished musing over the drawing and making it a bit better – not daring to change too much about it other than the shading and a few curves to make it seem more 'magical'.

"When was the last time you had something to eat?"

I blinked at the sudden question. "Uh… I had an apple before I left my inn. That was about an hour after dawn."

Syra nodded and smacked the back of Al's head, motioning for him to get up. He did so, grumbling under his breath and rubbing at the now sore spot. Syra sat in the chair, Al muttering under his breath more and disappeared behind the curtain to the back of the shop.

"Now that we got the basics down, I can sketch this out within the next few minutes. Of course, it's pay before the actual tat is inked, so, pay up." I lifted a brow. How much exactly was I to pay? "Oh yeah… that'll be five-thousand Beli, plus an extra thousand for cream and bandages so the thing doesn't get infected, and I know you don't want to spend a month in a hospital, so cough it over."

Yeah, she definitely reminded me of my Aunt Darien.

"I'll throw in a additional thousand if we can keep this whole lil' thang a secret, and if anybody shows up asking for mah, ya know nothing?"

Syra tilted her head, almost looking like an innocent little girl – but the amused twinkle in her eye told me otherwise. "Who are you, again?"

It was a rhetorical question.

I handed over the three bills, a five thousand and two one thousands, and took the book back.

"Alrighty then. Let's set up. Off with the jacket and the shirt. Of course, unless your top can be stretched down enough for me to…"

I pulled off my deep purple coat before she even had time to finish what she was saying. The dark green and white blouse I had on was one of my own creations, meaning it fit me perfectly. My shoulders were bare, as well as the top half of my back (leaving a good amount of space for her to actually do the tattoo without me having to strip). Of course, though, anyone could still see the beginning of the long scar I had on my chest.

The story behind the scar was actually a very sad one – sad as in how pathetically stupid it happened. I had just left home, finally getting away from my ass of a father, and I was jumping from rock to rock on the shore of the island I lived in. Of course, it had just finished raining and the rocks were still slippery, I missed a rock, and went tumbling down onto a very sharp one, causing me to cut my torso (the length of it was almost the same as my forearm). I ended up fracturing two ribs, too, but it all healed pretty quickly. And thus, that was the end of that story. Now I might as well get finished telling this one.

Syra gave me a look, saying something along the lines of _why do you hide your body when it's actually has some very nice curves?_

"I don't need men staring at mah. I got bett'r things ta do then deal wid th'm."

"So you make yourself look like an ironing board on purpose? Clever _and_ deceptive. I knew I liked you for a reason."

I couldn't help but laugh lightly at that.

"Alright, alright, getting back on topic. Just set your stuff down behind the desk and go sit in the third chair. Sit with your front to the back of the chair. That way I can actually get the thing on ya."

I followed her orders, and barely even ten minutes later, I was clutching the sit, trying my best not to move, as the buzzing needle began to etch a permant picture into my skin. Now I know why Mia didn't want to get another one.

_HOLY _SHIT_!!_

This was my first, and definitely LAST, tattoo.

Oh if only Mia could see me now. She was probably laughing at me in the afterlife anyways.

Screw her.

"_OUCH_!!"

"Oh shuddup you big baby. I'm almost done."

----

**A/N**: _le GASP!_ I actually UPDATED! Aren't you all very happy? Please give my story-baby's daddy, Eli, a BIG standing ovation since it was her that actually gave me the idea for the next two-three chapters. I had had the idea of this chapter all last week, but I just couldn't seem to write anything. So, Eli came into the picture.

In other news, this is the TENTH CHAPTER! And we haven't even gotten to the good stuff yet. ;D

Also, this chapter so so far the longest, so love me even if it isn't the best. The next chapter will come out soon since I know what I want to do. Plus, I have nothing to do all this week in Journalism, so I can work on this thing. :D

AND TO MAKE THINGS EVEN BETTER. My birthday is this Friday (Jan. 29th). I shall be fifteen, and taking the test for my driver's permit. –evil laugh- oh I can't wait!

Review please?

**PS:** (to Eli) I know you know the quote I used. ;D


	11. The Plans That Were Never Made

**Chapter Ten: The Plans That Were Never Made**

_They've got us surrounded again, the poor bastards. ~Creighton W. Abrams_

"Now remember, change that bandage every four to six hours. If it gets infected, go to a doctor. My cream isn't exactly a hundred percent noninfectious." My blinked at the big word, slowly processing it in my brain as I tried to push the pain in my upper back and buzz from the medicine as it tried to knock out the pain that began to cloud my mind. Ooh, sparkly necklace.

"And don't forget that if it isn't healed by three weeks from now, come back – don't, and I repeat, _don't _go to a doctor."

I nodded, pushing the information to the back of my head – it was much easier to get rid of than the pain or the buzz – and pulled my bag's strap over my right shoulder. Ow, pain. Pain. Pain. Pain- and lots of it.

"Thanks for coming! Tell your friends about us – and don't forget that you're always welcomed here as a friend! Oh wait; I never caught your name. Who are you? Where'd you come from? Do you like music? What's your favorite color? Can we be friends? Oh! I have this really nice cake recipe that I want you to try and – "

"AL!"

The young man quickly shut his mouth, and gave me a sheepish look. I couldn't help but laugh at them. They were too comical for their own good.

"I'll try to come back. Yes, I do like music. My favorite color_s_ are purple and green, any shades. Yes, we can be friends. And I would be delighted to try out that recipe, but I must be on my way."

Alastair grinned widely, not noticing that his first two questions had gone unanswered. At least he had made a new friend. I was starting to grow onto his bits of rambling and random questions.

Syra let a ghost of a smile tug at her lips – one that I caught out of the corner of my eye – before holding out her hand. A small bit of pride welled up in me. A handshake at the end of a meeting – to me – meant that they thought of you as their equal. Respect was important to me, seeing as most of my family was nothing but a bunch of liars and criminals.

Although my mother was none of that. She was too innocent, too kind, too motherly to ever be thought of something like that. She just let some really bad decisions be made in her life without her consent.

And then again, there was that one uncle of mine. I looked up to him greatly, seeing as he was very loyal to those he loved and trusted. Plus he got me out of trouble whenever we went messing around. Of course, I hadn't seen him in about seven or eight years – let alone heard from him – but I knew he was alright. Call it "niece's intuition".

"It was nice to meet you. Maybe next time we'll have more time to chat."

And then I made my leave.

I had been about a block away when I heard someone yell. After stopping and looking around for the cause, I saw the young Alastair running after me, something being held in his arms.

It was the swords.

I could I even _dare_ to forget about those things!

After I mentally, and literally, smacked myself in the head for forgetting them at the tattoo parlor, Alastair slid to a stop in front of me and started to catch his breath.

"You… forgot," he began to pant, his sentences not really sentences. "Ran… to give… back." Alastair was just too innocent for his own good. I couldn't help but feel like he was one of those younger brothers that just didn't know how bad the world really was.

"Thank you so much, Al. I owe ya one."

He grinned, and waved off my declaration of debt. "Don't think anything of it. My mum taught me manners and drilled them into my mind."

But I couldn't just leave it at a "thank you". After I had tied the two sheaths to my sash, and said another thank you, a thought hit me.

"Hey, Al. I was jus' about to go and get something for lunch. Why don't you join me? I really do owe you after the whole 'I-forget-you-bring-back' thing with the swords. I don't know how I coulda forgotten them." I offered him lunch; how could any man refuse free food?

Alastair gave me another sheepish look and shook his head. "Thanks, but no thank you. I should really get back to Syra. She makes me cook everything we eat, so I don't want her to starve." I could see a silent plot of Syra's demise being formed in the gears of his mind, but I knew he wouldn't dare hurt his cousin – let alone hurt a fly.

"Well, maybe next time you could join me?"

Al nodded, and soon we were saying short goodbyes and going our separated ways.

I would definitely have to go back to _The S.C.S. of Ink._

---

Faye let her old limbs move with much grace as she twirled to the music that echoed across the halls of her dark, empty home. It was a new day; why couldn't she just move on?

"I shall go into town," she said to herself, much confidence laced in her voice. "I shall do what I want, get what I want, speak what I want."

You only live once…

And so, Faye set out for the town that was just downhill from her home. She had bag with her, and her notebook clutched faithfully in her left hand.

…but you die many times.

---

The port was a busy one, especially around lunch time it seemed. It kind of reminded me of Loguetown… keywords here are "kind of". It was too different to be anything like Loguetown. I didn't know anyone, bars were opened during the day time, the smells and sounds were much too louder – or that's what it seemed like to me.

People pushed past me as if I were nothing, continuing on their way to wherever they were headed to. I felt like a butterfly in a horde of moths. I knew no one, nothing was familiar, and yet, I felt like something was pulling me toward the center of town.

I could smell the sea over the wisps of scents from restaurants that surrounded me. People were going in and out. I was a boulder in the middle of a river. People would just move around me, going their respected ways. But I wouldn't move, only a bit if someone bumped into me hard. I stayed there in the middle of the street, staring off at the harbor.

I knew one of those ships.

I knew two of those flags.

I knew all of those faces.

What were they both doing here?!

And suddenly, I was no longer a boulder, or a rock, or any type of stone anymore. I was a weak and fragile leaf that was being push and pulled by the current of the river. I had to get away; I had to blend in with the water.

I had to drown in it.

I pushed through the crowd now, crouching down to make sure no one saw me.

"Hey, watch it!"

"_Oof!_"

"_Ouch!!_ That was my foot you wench!"

"Move it!"

"Oh! Excuse me, I am very sorry…"

I ignored the many voices that surrounded me – some apologetic and some not so pretty.

"Jorge, is that…?"

One voice caught my attention though. I stopped in the middle of the crowd, not to the liking of many people, and turned in the direction that I had just heard those words.

_Fuck_ was the only word that came to kind.

"Oh shit. Guys, it's her! She's still alive!"

'Still alive'… what the hell did that mean? Oh well, I was too busy trying to run for my life to really care what exactly it meant.

Hm… the closest place to lose them in would be a restaurant. So, why not just dive in, hide behind the counter or under a table and wait for them to just give up? Then again, they were of my brother's unit, so I really didn't even have a chance of getting out of here without a fight if they told him I was alive.

I dove into the door of the nearest restaurant that I saw – that wasn't really a bar or already full of Marines looking for something to eat.

Then again, I just so happened to dive into the restaurant that held another person that was on my "Top Ten People Who I _**Really**_ Don't Want To See Right Now".

"Faye?"

Once again, double _Fuck_.

"Faye, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same question, Ace."

I glanced over the table edge and looked out the uncovered window not too far away to see a group of Marines running in some random direction while orders were being shouted around.

Okay, this time, _triple Fuck_.

"Uh… the ship was in worse damage than we thought, so we've been in port while it's being fixed."

Oh, well, that was a good enough explanation. Too bad it wasn't exactly part of my plan of getting off this stupid island.

"What are you still doing in Hastion City anyways?"

Eh… I just so happened to have traveled the whole island these two months and found out that I now have to babysit two swords that I know about and I just got a tattoo on my left shoulder blade – _Damn my shoulder really hurts_- and now I'm being chased after Marines that just so happen to work for my brother. (I'm pretty sure that covers everything.)

"It's a long story."

"I've got time."

And right as he said those words, three Marines came bustling in the front doors of the restaurant.

"No you don't," I stated with a smug look, and lifted myself over the counter to plan out my farther technique of how the hell I was going to get out of here.

"Get her!"

There was a pause.

"And Portgas!"

Portgas? Did they mean Ace? Heh, small world. He was a wanted criminal pirate and I was wanted because my father still wanted to brain wash me with his Marine-Justice-crap.

"Whoa there!"

Something – more like some_one_ landed beside me behind the counter. I could see his wide, white grin through the shadows. Oh I knew what he was thinking.

"They've got us surrounded, again," Ace said.

"The poor bastards," I added with an eye roll and listened to the gunshots that were beginning to fade – the ringing in my ears was still there – and the hushed orders that they were giving.

"We have to stop meeting like this, Faye."

"Meeting like how?" I asked, slightly confused at what he meant.

"You always seem to show up when Marines are chasing after you."

"We'll ex-_cuse_ me. I'm sorry that you have to take care of me, Sir Smug-a-lot."

Ace's grin only widened. "That was a pitiful comeback."

"Oh shut it!" I hissed at him, and glanced around the edge of the counter. There had to be at least a dozen Marines waiting for us on the other side. Then I turned back to Ace. "Why are they after _you_ anyways? I thought you were just a small-fry pirate."

Ace scoffed, his ego had been damaged it seemed. "Do you know what the Shichibukai is?"

I nodded. "Yeah. It's a group of really powerful pirate captains that turned over to the Marines as their allies. Basically, they're traitors to all pirates. Why?"

"I was asked to join them about a month ago." After my eyes had widened, and a bit of fear welled in my stomach, Ace seemed to notice the tension between us, now. "But I refused the offer and now the Marines are after me to just get me out of the battlefield now that I'm not on their side."

Still, the fact that _him_, Ace (whose last name I expected to be Portgas) - a little small-fry pirate captain who was too cocky for his own good and had a "sleeping problem" , had been asked to join _The_ Shichibukai was very intimidating.

Poor bastards indeed.

"Well… this makes this situation a bit more… interesting."

"I'm glad you see things my way." Ace just kept on grinning. "Now, you might want to close your eyes for a minute. Things are gonna get a little… 'bright'."

Next thing I knew, I was having to cover my eyes (no matter what I thought of his sentence) because of the intensity of the fire that suddenly shot out off his skin. No wonder he was so warm. I really hadn't been dreaming that night on the ship. I _wasn't_ crazy!

"Come on. We gotta get out of here before more of 'em come."

I was yanked from the floor by a very _hot_ hand and I couldn't help but yelp when it touched my skin. Ace muttered an apology and began to pull me though the back of the restaurant. Hot hand, hot hand, hot hand- _ouch_ much?

We were on the streets again, but this time we were just ghosted through alleyway after alleyway trying to get out of here.

"Uh, Ace. Right now I shouldn't really be questioning your motives right now seeing as you are sorta saving my life, but I must ask. Where the _hell_ are we going?"

Ace looked over his shoulder and at me. I could see the whites of his teeth again. "We're headed to _The Fixed Deck_, of course."

I blinked. "The _what_?" I was pulled and jerked again. The smell of the sea was becoming more dominant now.

"My ship."

Oh… OH! '_The Fixed Deck_'; the Spade Pirates – I get it all now! How could I be so stupid? Maybe the smoke was getting to my head…

"There they are! GET 'EM!"

Well damn. And here I was planning to get away easily on the ship, be dropped off again and continue my travels so I could find more things to put in my book.

Life happens when you're busy making other plans.

I hate life.

---

**A/N:** So… Happy Superbowl Day my fellow Americans! :D (I was actually born on Superbowl Sunday, which I find ironic since I'm not really a football fan, but I do like the Colts better than the Saints.) Anyways, enough about men running around a field on live television being watched by millions of people while they try not to get caught touching other men's asses… :D (I should be shot, I know.)

I updated! Aren't you happy? And there's ACE! YAY ACE! :D

Well… I have nothing more to say. It's time to get started on the next chapter though! I shall definitely get this next chapter out soon since I'm about to start on it. (But I'm not making promises since I can't seem to keep them.)

Review please?

Oh, and if you noticed, I toned it down a notch on Faye's accent. It should be back to normal. :D


	12. The Revenge in Childish Views

**Chapter Eleven: The Revenge in Childish Views**

"_It is one of life's bitterest truths that bedtime so often arrives just when things are really getting interesting." ~Lemony Snicket_

"Miss Faye!" Hank exclaimed once he had gotten a chance to pull away from his duties and greet me. He wrapped his arms around my torso and lifted me off my feet, seeing as he was much taller than me. My arms were squished to my sides, so I couldn't return it, but I could still laugh at his antics.

"Hello Hank, it's great to see you again too."

Benji, the young little looking boy who had hit puberty quite hard, stood just as tall as me now. His body, once lean and thin, was now carrying the amount of muscle that could counter Ace's. Actually, if it wasn't for the short blonde hair and freckle-less face, I would think that Benji was Ace.

"Hello, Miss Faye." What was with the whole 'Miss Faye' thing?

"Hello, Benji." I didn't really know him, but it felt like we would become close over the rest of my voyage. Oh yeah, the reason why I was on _The Fixed Deck_ right now was because Ace seemed set on getting me on the ship to help with… something. But I expect from the pile of cloth in the corner of his quarters that he needed me to sew up his clothes…

Better yet, I might as well make up a fabric that is nonflammable.

I'll get to the drawing board… after a good night's sleep.

---

"Uh… Ace. Where are we going again?" I asked, for the umpteenth time within the past few days. I rubbed at my sleep-filled eyes. The Spade's captain pulled himself away from the old maps on his desk and looked up at me.

Those brown eyes were so beautiful…

"How many times do I have to tell you, Faye?" He sighed, obviously annoyed of the question I kept asking over and over again. "We're headed to a cove just north of Glacier Port."

"And _why_ are we going there, again?"

Ace, once again, sighed and rolled his eyes. _He _seemed annoyed at _me_. Usually he – no – he was ALWAYS the one to annoy me. Although, over the past few days we hadn't really been at each other's throats as much as we had been when we met.

Then again, I wasn't being chased by Marines who found me "still alive". Now that made me begin to question some things…

Was I supposed to die instead of Mia? Oh hell, that made me feel so guilty just even thinking of it. My best friend had died because of something to do with me…

"There's someone there that I need to talk to," Ace said, pulling me from my thoughts.

I nodded nonetheless and continued to watch from my sit on the small couch of his quarters as he continued to measure and mumble to himself over the map. And then, he pushed it away and gave out an irritated huff. Didn't he know that those maps were _so_ outdated?

"Here," I leaned over and grabbed my bag from the floor. It still had my clothes, all my Beli, and my book in it. Ratch, the normal person who looks out at the crow's nest at night, was currently giving my swords a once over, trying to figure out who exactly they were. It seemed every sword had a name… who would have guessed?

"You can use my maps." I pulled the large brown book from the bag and stood. As I walked over, my fingers flipped through pages as I tried to find the right one of what I had on the islands closest to where we were now and 'Glacier Port'. They weren't that hard to find since they were near the front of all the maps I had done. "There."

I placed the book onto the desk with the opened pages. Ace's eyes seemed to glance at me for just a second before looking down over the maps. Compared to his, mine were gold.

"Where… did you _get_ these?" he asked, flipping back and forth, making sure to save the page that I had found for him. What can I say? I'm full of surprises.

"I made them. Well, I didn't really _make_ them. I just looked at some old maps to get the shape, but I actually modeled the maps to be about one-five thousandth of the actual size, so if they look really small, then they're about the same if you do all the math that you have to do to find the actually measurements."

Ace looked up at me, speechless. Again; I'm full of surprises.

"It seems we don't have a problem looking for a new navigator."

Wait… _WHAT_?

I don't want to be a navigator… I want to be a seamstress that travels and get off this ship before we go off into the freezing unknown of Glacier Port!

"Do you have a problem with that?"

That's when I noticed how close we had gotten. I had already been leaning over the desk to watch as he flipped through my book, but now our faces weren't feet apart… they were barely even inches.

"Well, do you~?" He was mocking me, I know he was. He was trying to get me flustered, and give in to his "charm". He was just a flirt, and that's what he would always be.

"Actually, no. It means I finally have something to do." I shot back and pushed his face away from mine with a hand. His ego was damaged, I knew it was, but he only showed it for barely even a wink of an eye.

"Good. You're finally working to stay on my ship."

"I still want my hat back." And with that, I turned and left the captain's quarters.

Ah-ha! Beat that one, Flame-boy…

---

Faye smiled at the soft sea breeze as she dug her toes into the warm, pale sand of the beach. The sounds of the town had grown tiring to her, so she decided to explore farther away from the people. And here she ended up. The wonderful beach of the island she lived on. She could see the next island over easily, and it felt good to be close to the rest of her family.

The "rest of her family" being her daughter Anne, son-in-law Isaac, granddaughter Mia and grandson Acel – who she heard had grown much since she lost saw her family four years ago. He was no longer the little baby boy who gurgled and cried day in and day out. Mia had actually been quite happy when her brother started speaking. After all, his first "word" was her name… or something close to it.

Her smile grew out of pure instinct. She finally felt happy, free from her old bones.

Faye felt like she really had wings, instead of the drawing on her back that was sagging and graying from being on for so long and because of how old her actual skin was.

Then, the breeze died down until there was nothing but empty air surrounding her. She was alone, but she felt like there were so many presences blocking her from continuing any farther or going back.

_Faye_…

The wind whispered to her like a schoolgirl would when telling her best friend a secret, but there was more edge in the tone, more seriousness.

_Faye…_

There it was again! It – _He_ was telling her something. She had to listener closer… listen with more than just her ears. She had to open up her heart and accept what words were spoken to her.

_Faye…_

"Yes, yes, tell me! Tell me what you must!" She yelled to the sky\, birds becoming surprised by the sudden exclamation and began to fly away. "Please…" she was whispering now, begging in her old cracking voice. "Tell me."

There was complete silence. She could no longer hear the town, or the sea as it crashed into rocks and sand, or birds that flew over, her the breeze that had been pulling at her pepper-salt hair.

Faye was, once again, alone.

She turned around, no longer being able to face the sea any longer, and let the sounds crash back on her.

Faye just almost missed the whispered, _I love you_.

The keyword here is "almost".

But she was still alone.

---

And so, over the next few days that it took us to get to Glacier Port, I was busy manning the wheel and making sure the Log Pose was pointing to the correct position. Of course, this meant had to be with Ace for some part of my day seeing as he was the one wearing the Log Pose.

Great, just great.

To add to all of this, I had no idea how to steer a giant ship like _The Fixed Deck_. I just knew how to follow maps and find landmarks. Most of the time when I went to check on the Log Pose our conversations were about nothing to even do with maps or navigation. It was all about where I came from, what I had been doing since I had been dropped off, but one question would enter my mind every time I saw Ace.

Why had he acted so weird that time he save my life back when Smoker, I think that was his name, had gotten me?

…did he regret ever going into my shop?  
…did he regret ever wanting that hat?  
…did he regret flirting with Mia, and soon entering our lives for the worse, instead of better?  
…did he regret taking me home that night, and accidently falling asleep?  
…did he regret putting me on his ship and helping me get away?  
_Did he regret entering my life in the first place, and then having to save it?_

So many questions, yet I had no answers. I could only worry in silence and put on a fake smile.

"G'afternoon, Miss Faye."

"Hey, Ratch," I said, not taking my focus off the cracks in the crate I was sitting on as I contemplated on what to do next – next in my plan of Ace and I's little battle of dominance in our "relationship".

So far, he had gone as far to make me sleep with the rest of the crew instead of on his bed or couch. But I wasn't going to give in. I had to find something that I could do that would make me drop to his knees and beg for my forgiveness…

My eyes widened. "Hey Ratch!" I practically yelled, suddenly excited. "Can I ask you something?"

The nocturnal man blinked. "Uh… sure?"

I gave a sadistic grin. Oh I was so going to get my revenge.

"Could you tell me a bit about Ace? I now bits and pieces, but I _really_ want to know what makes that man tick." My eyelashes fluttered, and my look turned innocent.

"Eh… well. I wouldn't really call Ace a 'man' seeing as he isn't a day over nineteen." Really? My, he is young. I would have thought he was somewhere in his mid-twenties "He has a thing for fire, as you can probably tell by now that he ate the Mera Mera no Mi." – wait. Didn't it mean that you were basically an anchor in water if you eat a Devil Fruit?

Oh ho, ho. I was _so_ going to have fun with this.

"And he is a b it impulsive when it comes to doing things… but he wouldn't dare betray a nakama." Hmm… interesting. "He falls asleep in the middle of a lot of things, too. Like, eating, conversations, etcetera." So he wasn't lying. Eh, I owe an apology for that one.

I smiled and patted Ratch's shoulder. "Thanks, Ratch. I owe you one." And I did, but that doesn't mean I'm going to fulfill that favor. I'm so evil, aren't I?

And so, I began to plan.

---

The day of arriving at Glacier Port was a cold one. No, it wasn't cold… it was _freezing_. The moisture from my breath would freeze within just two or three seconds causing little snowflakes to fall down to the already snow-covered ground. And it didn't help that the last time I had been anywhere this cold was about ten years ago, so I wasn't used to the weather. All the Spade Pirates were used to extreme climate changes and Ace was just a walking heater, so I was screwed. How we were able to sail through that water I do not know.

"Remind me again how we are able to sail in these waters?"

I asked Ace, for the fifth time in about twenty minutes. He was getting annoyed. Phase one of my plan has gone into motion.

Ace sighed and shut my book of maps and other crap with an annoyed roll of the eyes.

"There are mini volcanoes in the water, causing magma to come up and heat up the water. This keeps the water from freezing while up here it's "cold" as you put it." He gave me a look; a look that said "you're turning blue~ and I'm so warm~". Oh screw him!

I was already wearing three of my thickest blouses, along with two coats, four pairs of pants and a new pair of boots that I had bought from an island just before it started to get this cold. Plus, I was wrapped in Ace's blanket that was usually on his bed that I was now using because I had to sleep on the couch since he kept getting 'neck cramps' and 'was a hard working captain who deserved a good night's rest'. Pft, yeah right.

"Land ho!" I rolled my eyes at the echoing voice. We knew there was an island, no need to yell it to the heavens.

But, it seemed none of the crew had seen it and decided to grab whatever Beli they had and see what they could get here. This was good, seeing as I needed to work on Phases Two and Three of my plan of revenge.

"Hey Ace!" I called to the slowly sneaking away captain. He froze for a second, seeming to curse that he got caught trying to get away, and turned with his usual cocky grin. "Can I talk to you for a second?" My eyelashes fluttered. "In private?"

This got both Ace's and just about everyone else's attention. Oh I was going to have fun with this…

**Phase Two…**

I stood in Ace's quarter's now, filling up too small glasses with alcohol – that I had found in the storage – and adding in my own special mixture of things that would make him out like a light.

"You needed to talk?"

I turned, a glass in a hand, and held the spiked one out to him.

"Yes, but how about a drink first?"

He took it without question. Damn; men were so clueless it was actually _amusing_!

I drank mine, he drank his.

"You were saying?"

I smiled, and sat the glass down. The space between us was closed easily, one hand splayed across his thinly covered chest and the other twirling a piece of stray hair near his ear.

"Have a nice nap."

Ace's brown eyes showed a flash of confusion before going hazed over and he fell over. There was snoring…

**Complete.**

**Phase Three…**

Now that he was asleep, and I was alone on the ship, other than the save few that were just paranoid about leaving a ship with a playboy captain and his 'lady friend'.

So, I pulled (more like dragged) him out onto the deck. I could see the port from there, but no one could see us. We were too far away.

"Alright Ace. How's this for revenge?" I asked to Ace – really myself – and picked up one of the ropes that lay fray on the deck. After wrapping it around him tightly, but not too tight, I pulled at the other end of threw it over one of the yard (or was it the spar? What the thing sticking out from the mast was called) and pulled on it. It was a very simple pulley, and it worked perfectly.

Ace was lifted up easily, and I was even able to swing him over the edge of the ship with ease.

I did this, making sure that his boots had been off before doing anything with the rope, and lowered just so his feet dangled in the "warm" water. Last, but not least, I tied the rope to the railing, I had to make sure it as extra tight because if it came undone then he would drown and I would be blamed for his death; which is bad.

Now, Ace was dangling over/in a large body of 'warm' salt water on a freezing cold island, and I was up on the deck still covered in the blanket. It was time for my own nap.

**Complete.**

---

**Phase Four…**

"_**FAYE!!**_"

Oh it was sweet music to my ears…

After my wonderful nap, I had just been laying in the very warm bed to come to my senses hearing my name being called in a cry of anger. It made me get goose bumps.

I rose from the bed and slowly began to put all my clothing back on so I would be warm again. The blanket came last, and I was then walking out onto the deck. The crew was surrounded the side of the ship where Ace was hanging and I could see many surprise, many unsurprised, and many amused faces.

Oh sweet revenge… it's best served "cold".

"_FAYE YOU YELLOW-BELLYED, BACK STAPPING, LITTLE WENCH."_

I glanced over the railing to find a squirming Ace, but he couldn't go anywhere, he was in the water so he was helpless. Oh I was indeed going to love this.

"Oh, hello Ace. How's the view?"

"WHY YOU LITTLE-"

"Ah-uh… I wouldn't make things worse. You could actually be staying down there longer than I planned for you too."

There was silence.

"Fine, fine, I give in. You can take the bed."

Oh yeah.

**Complete.**

Faye: Four.  
Ace: Three.

When I did pull Ace back up, he didn't look all too happy. But then again, I wouldn't be happy either if I was drugged, tied, and left in water that basically left me helpless.

"I'm going to remember this."

"Oh don't worry Ace, I wasn't planning on you forgetting it."

And out of pure impulsion, I kissed his cheek to give a small "I'm sorry".

Oh how stupid I had been.

---

**A/N:** (_** of OP chapter 574**_)

This chapter is dedicated to the – now – dead Portgas D. Ace. He may be dead in the manga, but he shall always be alive in our fandom! DAMN YOU ODA. DAMN YOU. (RIP Ace, 2000 – 2010. He died so young…)

Also. Acel is not said like "Ace – L". You said it "Ah – Cee – L".

Soooo… new longest chapter. And I really wanted to get this out early. So… yeah. There will be another one soon, don't worry. I'm out Friday-Monday. (BOOYAH!) Also… who can ever guess what special character I'm going to put in the next chapter gets a special prize… that I only know about. :D

So, for clues, look in OP Chapter 552. Where is Ace when it's REALLY cold? :D (It's not that hard… but, yeah. OH, and I'm going to start a contest soon seeing as a need more fanartz, plus I REALLY wanna do something. :D Info will be on my profile by the next time I update.)

So… review?


	13. The Hottest Day in Winter

**Chapter Twelve: The Hottest Day in Winter**

"_In the depths of winter I finally learned that there within me lay an invincible summer."  
-Albert Camus_

It had been about three days since the whole "revenge" incident and me winning the bed. (This venture to Glacier Port was taking longer than I thought it would.) Of course, I enjoyed every moment that I lay in those soft sheets – I swear Ace snuck in at night after I fell asleep because the other side was always really warm whenever I woke up. But of course, I didn't see it with my own eyes so I said nothing. He was just probably trying to get a few hours of peaceful sleep.

That couch didn't look very comfortable to lie on, and it wasn't very comfortable either.

Then again, it was much better than sleeping in the crew's quarters surrounded by a bunch of men that couldn't learn to keep their hands to themselves… A few fingers were close to being cut off.

I stood in the Captain's Quarters, standing with my back to the mirror and looking at the still – aching tattoo. It didn't look very good… maybe it had gotten infected? _That_ would be very bad seeing as we were now it would take, at the least, a week and a half to get to Hastion City.

Just my luck, you know?

The edges of the black were bright red, and a bit of yellow was starting to splash its way around it to. Was that purple, I saw?

"What are you doing?"

I jumped, looking at Ace as he leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his covered chest. Quickly, I covered my bare shoulders and back with the blanker I had been holding.

"What's it matter to ya?"

_Ow!_ The fabric was rubbing against the tattoo… I needed some salt water badly right now, but by the time they got it up here, it would probably be freezing from the transition of warm sea water to the freezing cold air. Unless Ace would happily warm it back up for me…

_No, Faye! He's a jerk - he wouldn't do it for you even if his life depended on it._

Alright, fine, that is a bit over the top, but I wasn't very happy right now. My left shoulder was killing me – almost literally – and now I had him on my case.

Ace rolled his eyes and stepped away from the door and toward his desk. My large brown book of wonder sat on the top, a few bookmarks placed here and there inbetween the pages to show the maps of places he was going soon or wanted to go.

He better not think that I would be staying with him long enough to even go to half of them…

I rolled my eyes at him once he sat down and began flipping through an old newspaper. Suddenly, the rush of footsteps sounded in the hall…

"Cap'n!" One of the crew members that I hadn't exactly been on first-name bases with ran up to the door, a piece of rolled-up paper was clutched in his left hand. "You need to see this!"

I stood there, wondering what the hell was going on, and watched as the man handed the piece of paper over to Ace. Ace started to grin like an idiot once he read over the piece of paper. Curiosity got me in its clutches and I walked over to see what it was. Ace didn't stop grinning. He flipped the paper so I could see it.

_Damn that's a lot of zeroes!_

It had a poorly taken picture of Ace on it, but you could tell it was him – he just had on a black hat instead of my orange one.

"_This_ is what happens when you refuse to join the Shichibukai, Faye."

Holy shit was I surprised. A bit jealous too, but I'd rather be a nobody than be chased around the world because my head was worth a bunch of numbers. Sure I liked travelling, but I wasn't a pirate.

"I'm going up," I mumbled and walked away – more like stomped – as he laughed. Ace only showed me because he wanted to rub it in his face. Tch, men, typical.

**of memoirs and maps -**

"Oi, Faye."

I looked up from the map in front of me and at Ratch. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days, but I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. Ratch had been working on a little "project" for the two of us. It was mostly research from a bunch of old dusty books he had and a few questions about my family, but that was it.

It looked like he finally got something.

"Yeah?"

Ratch dropped the swords in front of me and brushed back his dirty blonde bangs.

"There's not much I can tell you since the last book on the Emery family went missing ten years ago…" I lifted a brow at this. Were he going to get to the point, or not? "But I can tell you this-"

"Hey, Callaghan! Get up here and steer my ship!"

Oh Ace, one day you are going to pay very dearly for interrupting someone like that. Why couldn't he steer his own ship? He knew how to navigate. He _did_ have a Log Pose.

"Sorry, Ratch, I'll have ta talk to you later. The _princess_ is in need of assistance from me." I gave him a small smug smile and closed the book I had been skimming through.

"But wait, Faye-" I was gone before he could finish.

Of course, a little tug in the back of my brain told me to make Ace wait and find out what he had to say. I just pushed that tug over and let the annoyance of his highness take over.

"Why don't you steer the ship yourself Portgas?" I pushed him away from the wheel and gently began to turn it back and forth.

"'Cause I'm about to-" Thud_._ _Snore._

Typical Ace; always falling asleep in the middle of a conversation. He must have just eaten a lot. It only happens after he eats too much. I rolled my eyes at him and hefted him off the floor and asked one of the crew members that was standing around to take the wheel for a few minutes.

Hank offered to take Ace to his room, but I waved it off and kept going.

"I've gotten this far with 'im, why not go the rest of the way?" Hank didn't say anything after that.

It took longer than a few minutes to get him; he had more muscle than a thought. When I finally got him off of me and onto the couch – yes, even though I felt like being the slightest bit nice, he had not earned the right of me giving him the bed willingly – I huffed and stretched. My back popped. _Ahhh_.

I took off the orange hat that was being squished between his head and the couch cushion, letting the strong hang in the notch of my elbow, and stared down at him. He continued to store, subconsciously scratch at his cheek, and shift around to find a comfortable spot on the couch.

It was kind of… cute the way he did things in his sleep. I really hadn't noticed it until now.

I shook my head of my thoughts. _What the hell, Faye? _Cute_! Where did that come from?_ I cursed the man that lay in front of me. Him and his damn charm… it was starting to get to me.

Well, that sort of happens after spending the last week and a half in the same room.

I went almost as far to smack the man for getting these thoughts in my head, but I held it back and sighed. Walking over, I took the blanket off the bed and wrapped it around my shoulders. The sheets and one of the pillows were in my free hand.

Dropping the sheet and pillow on the floor, I lifted his head up and slipped the pillow behind it after picking it back up. I knew he wouldn't need the sheet to keep warm but – the hell with it. I'm acting weird today. Ace must have kicked off his boots somewhere in the transition from the couch to the bed (that sounded wrong…) because I could see his bare feet dangling off the edge of the couch.

I dropped the sheet on top of him and took off out of the room with the blanket wrapped around me. So far, this was my hottest day in the middle of this "winter".

Taking the ship's wheel back from the crew member, the ship went on with its regular duties after I saw the tension from a few of the members ease after they saw me come out without any blood on me. How did they know that I wasn't hiding any under the blanket?

Nah, I didn't feel like being beaten to death by about thirty men, even if I was just a woman in their eyes.

**of memoirs and maps -**

Everything had led up to this moment. Of over a week in freezing cold weather, and finally getting to this cove just on the outskirts of Glacier Port, the Spade Crew was trudging through snow so thick that I could easily be buried under it. I thanked the seas for Ace's warmth as he stayed closest to me. Sure, I had lived in the North for most of my life, but had actual clothes up there that could easily push away this cold.

"_Are you serious, Ace?"_

Hank had yelled it over and over again as the Pirate Captain packed a small bag and grabbed a coat from off a hanger. Ace had actually _buttoned up_ his shirt for one. In all actuality, I don't even think every Marine in the Navy could stop this man from seeing whoever he was seeing.

The suspension of who the person was kept getting to me, and I couldn't help but ask, but I got no answer other than a cocky grin.

I ended up being dragged along, much to my displeasure.

"_I don't trust you on a ship full of men in the middle of this freezing weather."_

"_What, ya scared that they'll force themselves on me?" I snorted out a laugh._

"_No," he grinned, "I'm scared that half my crew will be dead by the time I get back."_

Of course, I wouldn't kill anyone no matter what they did – well, unless I find the bastard that killed Mia. Now _that_ is a completely different story – I couldn't fight worth a shit. I just knew how to throw a dagger and look intimidating. Usually it didn't even get that far once they knew my name. Of course, not many people knew exactly who I was. I kept it to "Faye" at the first introduction.

"_A – Ace!" My teeth chattered. It had been awhile since I was anywhere near the cold, my body was so used to the year-round warm days of Loguetown. He turned to look at me, a brow disappearing under the hat. "I – I – I'm going to k – kill you!" Once I'm warm again, that is. _

_He only grinned at me, and I could hear the faint chuckle over the whistle of the wind and snow that was blowing in my face. My lips were turning blue…_

"You want to…"

I stood there like an idiot, gapping at the man that sat ten feet away. You have _got_ to be _kidding_ me! _This_ was the man that Ace came to see? _The –_

"…greet me?"

"No, no! That's not exactly what I meant."

_RED-HAIRED SHANKS?_

"Then what _did_ you mean, boy."

I knew that voice! I'd heard a few good times over the past few years as a seamstress. Oh this was going to get interesting… I lifted my hood up more to cover most of my hair of face. Standing behind Ace also helped since he was so much taller than me.

_Mmmm, warmth…_

"My little brother was always bragging about you after saving his life. He told me if we ever met, to thank you!"

A sudden look of realization passed over Shanks' face. His back straightened from its slouch.

"You're Luffy's… Oh, so Luffy had a brother!" Shanks stood from his sitting position, using his sword to help him keep his balance since the black cloak he wore hid the nub of his once-left arm.

"Thanks for coming here and telling me!" He slipped his katana into the right side of his sash. "Crew, this calls for a celebration!"

And a celebration we had.

I sat back, watching as the men drank ale and laughed at jokes that weren't even the least bit funny. Benji had said he'd stay with me so I wouldn't be lonely, but after a few gorges of the alcohol, he was just like every other man. I had dropped my hood sometime after the first of Shanks' crew started to get drunk. It couldn't hurt, could it?

"Hello Miss Callaghan. It's good to see you again."

I chuckled as Ben sat beside me. Last time I had seen him you could just barely see the peppering of gray hairs, now they were becoming more evident as he aged. The large **X** shaped scar on his temple was still very prominent, his rifle was pushed into his sash like someone would do with a pistol, and he had a very familiar swirl-patterned cloak.

"What have I told you about calling me Faye, Ben? After all the business I've gotten from you men, I thought we'd be on a first name bases by now." He chuckled and shook his head, taking another swallow of his drink. I was more of a wine-girl, couldn't stand beer. "You're took much a gentleman to be a pirate, y'know."

"Old habits die hard."

And then we just sat there in silence, watching as Shanks and Ace chattered to each other happily. Hopefully the younger of the two wouldn't fall asleep again and cause me to drag him back to the ship since everyone else would probably be dragging themselves after drinking all this alcohol.

Suddenly, Ace turned to me – cutting off Shanks in the middle of saying something – and grinned at me. My heart sped up for a moment before the red-haired captain notice me too and waved me over.

"Well if it isn't my own personal seamstress! Stop trying to hide Miss Callaghan, and come talk with me!"

Who could say no to that handsome redhead with a drunken smile?

**A/N**: I HATE THIS CHAPTER. I HATE THIS CHAPTER. I HATE THIS CHAPTER. I HATE- you get the point.

Been a while… five months, right? Yes, I'm alive – although I can't say the same for a friend of mine…

Excuse for not writing in so long? : School, laziness, death of a friend, depression, no inspiration, colorguard practice – band brigade practice, summer, spontaneous road trip to SC, getting sick, more laziness. You get the point, ne?

Hope you enjoyed, and review please! :)

Thank you all that reviewed during these long five months.


	14. The Fisherman

**Chapter Thirteen: The Fisherman**

"_Men and fish are alike. They both get into trouble when they open their mouths."  
~Author Unknown_

Faye slowly walked down the cobble stoned road, her bones creaked and popped with every step. Pale leather-like skin had stretched over her bones, sagging slightly against her high cheek bones and laugh lines wrinkled at her eyes. Her thin peppered black and gray hair was pulled into a messy bun as she walked the streets of this small shoreline town in a pair of old trousers and a blouse that she had made herself before the pain in her joints became too much and no medicine or herbs or hot teas could fix it.

Many waved to her and gave their greetings, for she had been in this small town since it had first became established over twenty years ago. The children stopped what they were going and ran up to her, instantly begging for another story.

"Miss Faye, oh please tell us another one of your stories!"

"Yeah, tell the one about the prince that you met!"

"No, I want to hear the one about the girl who could turn into a fairy!"

"How about the one with the Emperor Fisherman!"

Faye smiled gently at them and pulled her small leather bound journal from her pocket.

"I agree, let us hear the one about Emperor Fisherman Jinbei…"

**of memoirs and maps –**

"I swear Ace. As soon as you wake up I'm throwing you into the sea. You are _not_ worth any of this!"

I didn't know why I was carrying him. I could have left him passed out in the cave like all of the Red-Haired Pirates were but something told me to go through the trouble of dragging him through another blizzard back to the ship. Everyone else was helping each other not pass out and get back too. Damn, Ace was heavier than I thought.

"So damn heavy…"

I mumbled, readjusting him as he leaned against me, his mouth wide open as he snored and swallowed snowflake after snowflake.

Before I knew it, the ship was already in view to us against the horizon. The two little rowboats were still sitting nestled in the snowy sand on the shore. Steam rose off the ocean as the warm water came in contact with the cold air.

I piled Ace into one of the boats and sat on the wood quickly. My bottom was instantly warmed; a shiver ran up my spine. Sighing with content, I rubbed my hands over my arms under my cloak and waited for everyone else to hurry up and get in the boats so we could get back on the ship.

Hank ad Benji rowed this boat, while another two crew members (Levi and Demin) rowed the second one. Once up to the ship, Hank threw the rope over the rail for the crew to pull us up. It took a few minutes, and a bunch of close calls with Ace falling in the water, before he was on the deck floor and just waking up.

"Hmm? We're back already?" He had asked lazily, rubbing at his eye and yawning. I walked up behind him, my fist curled into a tight ball, and whacked it across the back of his head. The whole crew (that was close enough) winced at the _thump_ it made. Ace had been thrown forward slightly with his head between his legs and covering the obviously throbbing bump with his hands.

"FUCK FAYE! THAT HURT!"

I simply replied with a, "Good, it was supposed to."

A week later, we were still in Glacier Cove. You have no idea how pissed off at Ace I was about this. I would have thought we would be sailing off to one of the bookmarked spots by now, but no. We were still in the freezing cold north with hot sea water and freezing cold air. My lips looked like the Arabasta Desert that had been dyed blue.

After a few days of staying on the ship wrapped in the thick blanket from my (Ace's) bed and a few others that I had made out of some old cloth found in a storage room, I came to find out that the town of Glacier Cove had little cafés that provided warmth and hot coffee. That's where I spent most of my time working on orders, designing new winter clothes and even working on some of the maps.

Of course, Ace demanded I be on the ship most of the time. He didn't want his crew (like I was even here on my own free will – well, I was but…) getting the reputation as free-loaders. But then, I kindly reminded him that I wasn't part of his crew.

"_Do you sleep on this ship?"_

"_Well yeah but—"_

"_Do you eat on this ship?"_

"_Not all the time—"_

"_Do you navigate my ship?"_

"_Only because that's the only way you'll get me away from Marines and—"_

"_Then you are part of the Spade Pirate crew."_

_This was one of those once-in-a-blue-moon moments that I saw Ace's serious side. For a while there, I began to think he didn't have a serious bone in his body._

But if I was on the ship, then I was curled up in a bed under a layer of blankets just as thick as the snow.

And then one day, Ace tells the crew he's looking for a man – a very well known man that most fear and quiver at his name – a man with a name that will be burned into your memory to moment you hear it.

Captain Edward Newgate, other known as Whitebeard.

**of memoirs and maps –**

The moment I heard this, I thought '_Bull. Shit.'_

Ace couldn't survive fighting that… that… I didn't know what to call Whitebeard. He was a man of great stature, from what I have heard. He could be called a beast of a man.

I continue to think that he was bluffing, merely giving an excuse to find some old flame he once had. (No pun intended.)

Of course, when we kept going from island to island getting _only_ information on him, Whitebeard; and soon, it seemed every island we went to instantly kicked the Spade Pirates away.

Whitebeard's flag flew high at every port and harbor we passed.

Soon we stopped at an island of nothing but snow and trees. We had to stop, a large chunk of ice was floating in the way of the ship. Ace wasn't very happy with this. In fact, he jump off the railing of the _Fixed Deck _to blow a few flames at some innocent trees. Poor trees.

The snow around him melted into puddles, heat was obviously radiating off his body. Remind me not to get on his bad side.

Hank walked up to him, very hesitantly might I add, trying to calm his captain down. A few more bursts of fire were shot at some more trees, but after that Ace came back on the ship and stomped his way to his quarters. I quietly stayed on the deck by the wheel, not wanting to open my mouth and anger him more. Most of the time I went off on him it was just friendly banter, but this time I knew he was not to be messed with. Too bad my big mouth had to go and run itself a marathon.

"What the hell is your problem?"

For some odd reason, I felt like my common sense had died that day. Or it just decided to elope with my conscience.

Ace's shoulders tensed completely (his back was turned to me) as he bent over his desk, gripping at the edge of the wood. His knuckles turned white, and it wasn't' from the cold.

"My problem?"

"Yeah, you're problem. You've been acting like a pregnant woman for the past week. Whitebeard this, Whitebeard that. Who gives a flying fuck about the old fart? I, for one, would rather be in Loguetown in my little shop, sitting at my counter with an apple in my hand as I watch potential customer after customer walk by and—"

"Then why don't you just leave and go back to Loguetown?"

There was silence, both below the deck and above. I knew our argument had been heard. I should have just stayed up there wrapped in a blanket, sitting beside the wheel. But no, I didn't.\

"Because I'm stuck here with you!"

"No one is stopping you from leaving, Faye. You can be on your merry way at anytime! If you want to leave, the leave! There's the door!"

"You have my book!"

"You're free to take it at anytime!"

"We're in the middle of no where!"

"You could have left earlier!"

"There were Marines!"

"We haven't seen any Marines since Hastion City!"

"I—"

I had nothing else to say. I ran out of excuses. I ran out of things to blame on him or someone else. Why did I stay?

"Well? What else do you have to say? I'm listening, Faye!"

There was more silence and then…

"Cap'n! We've got company up here!"

Our eyes met, his full of an emotion I couldn't understand (disappointment maybe?), and mine unable to connect for more than just a few seconds. Ace walked forward to the door. He opened it, stopping before stepping out.

"I liked your accent."

_Shit_.

"I dun' know what you're talkin' 'bout."

He walked away. And for some reason, my heart felt a little broken.

**of memoirs and maps – **

Five days passed. I had not left Ace's quarters. I wouldn't dare sit or lay on the bed, the couch was completely off limits, and his desk was just an annoying taunt to me. Hank had come to give me the news of Jinbei. I only nodded and continued to stare off into space as I wait for the battle between Ace and Jinbei to be done with. Those whole five days I had not slept a wink. I only stared at the wooden floor, glancing back and forth and the things in the room as I tried to figure out a few things.

Why did I stay?

Why did I lie to the Marine?

Why did I go after Ace?

Why did I leave Mia there alone?

Why did I continue to stay on this ship?

…why did I not miss home as much as I said I did?

I had known Ace for a complete total of four months at the most. We would always have these never ending squabbles that only ended when it was time for food, he fell asleep, or one (if not both) was pulled away to do our 'duties'.

Hank came back to give me the news.

Ace has been taken by Whitebeard. The crew was getting ready to go get him back. I was welcomed to join or continue sitting in my corner.

I stayed where I was, as silent as ever, and didn't make any type of eye contact with any of the crew.

_I'm a coward. That's why I didn't leave. I can't fight for myself. I can't do anything for myself. I put on a tough mask to make it look like I can do anything, when really, I'm a traitor to the one person who protected me no matter what. I don't deserve to even be alive._

The ship was silent for a long time, but I could hear the battle cries from the crew fighting Whitebeard's men.

It was either now or never. I could get up and go fight those bastards that took Ace, no matter how much my shoulder hurt, or I could just stay in this corner until they came and found me or I starved to death.

Where did I put my coat?

**A/N:** Hmm… so. How was this chapter? I updated sooner than I thought I would. Guess what? I'm going to Hawaii in Dec. of 2011! Yay for the BDB in GA getting invited to march in the Pearl Harbor parade! I feel so honored to be in the band that was asked to march out of all the other bands in Georgia! I CAN'T WAIT.

Review please? I know this chapter isn't as great as the others but – blah. I wanted to write something so here you go. :P


	15. The Day Met the Night

**Chapter Fourteen: The Meeting of Day and Night**

_"If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried."  
- __Susan Ohanian_

When I got to the deck, I knew one thing for sure after taking in the sight…

The Spade Pirates were getting their asses handed to them.

Not only was it embarrassing to think that I had been with these wimps for the past two months, but it was also painful to watch them be outnumbered like they were. Was three to one even fair for pirates? Probably, but still.

I ducked behind a barrel; like hell was I going to go out there and fight a bunch of men that could snap me like a twig. I tried to get a glance at what was going on as I tried to figure out how I would join the fight. It seemed that wasn't working out so well. With bodies clashing and flying this way and that, I was already busy with trying to stay hidden. Who know how ruthless these pirates were!

"Faye!" My head snapped around to facing a very tired looking Benji. "What the hell are you doing out here? The middle of battle is not a place for a woman to be!" I scoffed at that, but could understand fully what he meant. I couldn't fight worth a shit and I knew it. "You need to either go hide back in Cap'n's quarters or below deck in the kitchens." The young boy hissed at me, pressing himself closer and closer to me, trying his best not to give our position away.

"Haven't you figured it out by now? I'm pretty stupid when it comes to backing out." I hissed right back at him, just noticing how close we were exactly. Holy shit he is not going to—

He did.

At first I didn't really taken in the information properly, so I had to wait a few seconds before trying again. That's when it became clear.

I pushed Benji away with one hand, using the other to wipe my mouth. _Gross_. I had just been kissed by a little kid. Of course, when I pushed him, I pushed him into full sight of the battle, which then made a charge of Whitebeard Pirates come our way. Before Benji could even let out the first, and only, syllable of 'run', I was leaping out from behind the barrels and sprinting off to grab onto a rope that would, I pray to whatever god is out there, get me to safety. Let's just hope that me swinging up onto the giant whale-shaped boat is the safety part.

Hank was fighting against one of the many men that was scattered across the deck, and Ratch was swinging on ropes, going over many heads and firing his pistol. I looked around, not knowing what to do exactly. A shadow loomed over me.

I spun around quickly, my coat flapping in the cold air. This man was tall, or at least he was taller than me. His hair may have added on a few inches, but he was still very intimidating. His head tilted, his arms were crossed over his chest, and he had a look as if trying to remember something.

"I don't think I've seen you around here before, what division are you in? How long have you been a part of the crew?"

My throat tightened. What was I supposed to say? I was never a good liar when it came to saving my life.

"Uh…" I took a deep breath, and just let something pop out. "Third division, sir. I've been under the commander's orders for a month now." And then I tried to compromise with Karma. I'd let Ace have the bed if I got out of this alive. The man tapped his chin, but nodded after a moment. A great relief over came me.

"Hm, Jozu-san never said anything about a new recruit… but he is the kind of man to keep these kinds of things to himself…" He scratched his head, chuckling to himself about something and then waving me away. "Go on, I'd like to see what you can do."

And then that sudden nervousness came back. He wanted me to _fight_ against the _Spades_? Well, it was for a good cause – so I didn't get caught – but something would definitely give me away. Especially if the man asked this "Jozu" person about me being in his division. Oh sea god, help me please.

I instantly scouted the deck for something that I could possibly "fight" and "beat". Hank was my only option. He was currently running towards me with this look of confusion and fear since he was being chased. I pulled one of the hidden daggers from my slash and flicked it at him meaning to miss and hit the mast right beside his head. He didn't look too happy, but with a simply wink and another toss of a dagger, he understood what I meant – somehow.

The men chasing after Hank stopped and watched. I took a running start, and Hank charged back, but I knew he didn't have much force behind it. We both went tumbling to the deck, hands and arms sticking out as we "fought". Many stopped their own struggle to watch. We looked like idiots, I knew we did.

"What the hell do you think you're doing up here, Faye?" Hank whispered as we rolled back and forth.

"Well it was either sit there in that corner and rot until someone came found me, or I get out and come fight!"

"Well why the hell are you fighting me?"

"Because, you're the only one I could find from the crew!"

I pushed him away and jumped up onto my feet. Hank took his precious time getting up, but with me trying my best to not get caught I had to take drastic measures.

"Sorry Hank," I muttered, and kicked my leg forward. He was on the ground, withering in pain with his legs clamped together as tight as he could get them, with his hands protecting his groin. Sorry Hank, but I had too.

And then a large shadow enveloped the deck. I looked up, to find a large blue-fire bird soaring above the ship before landing on the upper deck and slowly transforming back into a man.

That face.

"Great job, newbie! How's it feel fighting your first, first mate?" I gulped slightly, knowing Hank was going to kill me once he could walk again. I wouldn't blame him to tell you the truth.

The man that had once been the phoenix stepped down onto the main deck, and many of the Whitebeard Pirates took an advantage to pummel the distracted Spades. His face became clearer and clearer with each step he took to get closer. I knew that face – but it wasn't him.

My father was more than likely at some Marine base going over paperwork and signing orders off of a massacre for some innocent village. I knew of no family on my father's side.

But that face…

(I had gotten all of my looks from my mother; my brother had gotten all his looks from my father. But our eyes were vice versa. I had my father's eyes, Jyrik had my mother's.)

His eyes showed a flash of recognition as he stopped only a few feet in front of the man behind me and myself. He eyed me for a minute before turning to his fellow crewmate.

"Eh, Thatch, who's this?" Thatch, as I now know his name as, chuckled and slapped a hand on my back.

"This, my dear Marco, is Jozu's new recruit. Her name's… uh, well, I don't know her name. Never caught it…." Both of their eyes were on me.

"Rize," I said, randomly coming up with some name – I think that was one of the top drinkers one time in Loguetown.

"Yeah, Rize. Nice name." Thatch slapped my back again, and I jerked forward when he hit the (more than likely) infected tattoo on my shoulder blade. I don't think I've wanted to scream more in my life than anything before. Thatch noticed, and so did this 'Marco' fellow. (The name sounded really familiar too…)

"Something wrong?" Marco raised one of his droopy eyebrows to cease at the middle of his forehead.

"Sore spot, tattoo," I barely choked out, holding in the tears. Damn that really had hurt. Marco raised a brow, and Thatch shrugged. The two crewmates had a silent conversation before both ganged up on me.

"Can I see it? Might be infected so we gotta get one of the ladies to clean it. Can't be too bad if you're a new recruit – you must have just gotten it." Oh how wrong this man was. I've had it for a month, and the whole month I've been practically dying from it. But I couldn't let him see it. From what I had just caught, the Whitebeard crew obviously had tattoos. And the tattoo I was talking about isn't the same one their talking about.

"Nah, it's cool. Not hurting anymore." And I swear to the sea god, the guy Thatch put his hand over the spot again – on fucking _purpose_. I doubled over, and before I knew it, my coat was yanked off. My bright red back was free to anyone to see. Marco and Thatch were quiet for a moment before I was pulled up straight again and something was placed over my head.

For once in my life, I knew what it was like to have the day meet the night. It was a sack, and I knew this because it smelt like potatoes. They had fucking put a _sack_ over my head. What was this? The mafia?

I was picked up and put over someone's shoulder since I fought against them from pushing me somewhere. After going down what I had a feeling about were stairs, and many opened doors later, I was sat down in a chair and the sack was taken off. I was in a small room with the only light coming from the window on the wall behind me. Thatch and Marco stood in front of me, and a large tan man that I had a feeling about was "Jozu".

"Seems we have ourselves a stowaway, eh." Marco mused to himself as he took a step closer. I pushed myself farther back in the chair, only to jerk forward from the sore spot on my back.

"I'm not telling you anything!" I yelled, but Thatch only chuckled and Marco rolled his eyes. The large man behind them shook his head and walked out what I presumed to be the door. I was alone in a small room with two men. Someone help me.

"You Emery women were always stubborn. I don't know how my brother was able to put up with any of you."

I glared at him, hearing the word 'Emery' for the third or fourth time in the past two months. It was getting on my nerves because I had no idea who these 'Emery' people were.

"What the hell are you talking about? Who's your brother? Why am I here?"

Marco was quiet for a moment before a small smirk pulled at his lips.

"You hate the color yellow because you're afraid of bees." My eyes widened. How did he know that?

"'Roar, I'm the big, bad phoenix that has come to steal away the pretty princess and eat her toys.'" More surprise, bigger eyes.

"And your favorite color is green because you hated the color of snow and loved spring time no matter how short of a time it spent on the island." When it hit me, it hit me hard.

"UNCLE COCO!" You just have to love family.

**A/N: **Not as long as the others, but it is a chapter none the less. (Can any of you say _FINALLY_?) Do you know how long I've been waiting to get to this part of the story? Oh the love is in the air~! But not for long… oh how I do love a moody-Ace and his ways. /giggles evilly.

Review and make me happy? :D


	16. The Callaghan Family

**Chapter Fifteen: The Callaghan Family**

"_I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich." ~Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford, "Identity Crisis," __M*A*S*H_

"UNCLE COCO!"

How long had it been since I had last seen this man? How long had it been since I last used his phoenix powers in my own childish ways, selfishly forcing him to be the evil doer in ruining my tea parties and having my brother come rescue me? How long had it been since I actually felt truly happy to see my family?

I jumped from the chair and into the waiting arms of my only uncle from my parents. I had a few aunts from my mother, but Marco was my only uncle that I ever remember meeting that was alive.

It was kind of weird in our family. There were the Marines of the family, and then there were the Pirates. The Marines outnumbered the Pirate side greatly, but hell; Pirates don't always play nice so it didn't really matter.

"Still got that annoying nickname for me, eh, Pixie?"

I glared at the man, my childish side coming out. "I'm not a Pixie, Coco. I'm a pretty fairy princess that can blast your ass across the Red Line if I wanted to."

Marco chuckled, ruffling the already rat-nest of my hair. He rested his arms around my waist, respectively, making sure to be careful of my irritated back and tattoo. The man behind my uncle, who I would later learn to be Thatch (Commander of the Fourth Division), cleared his throat. The pair of us finished our family reunion suddenly, looking at the man with the pompadour hairstyle.

"Not to interrupt your mushy reunion, but I do believe we have a pirate crew in our brig waiting to know where their captain is," his grin never faltered. "And I believe you owe an apology to the old man that you kneed quite hard."

I flinched at the thought of what I was going to get from Hank after that dirty move. "Right," I nodded curtly, knowing it was better to get the yelling done now than later. "You didn't hurt any of them too badly, did you?" I asked nervously. I had heard the Whitebeard Pirates weren't ruthless unless need-be. Who knew how they were going to have to react around the Spades. All of the men were very unpredictable.

"Nah. We just roughed 'em up a bit. Nothing too serious. We knew we could kick their asses them the second they pulled up beside the _Moby Dick_," the Fourth Commander said smugly, his grin almost growing in size.

"Someone's a bit overconfident," I muttered, allowing Marco to lead me out of the room – handing me back my coat in the process – and down a flight of stairs or two to the brig where the Spades were supposedly held.

When the two Commanders opened the door, they found the whole crew pitching in to help Hank and Benji try and beat the iron-enforced door. It was just the men of the crew. None seemed to notice we had entered the brig.

"Where are the women?" I asked, seeing that they weren't in any of the poorly welded cells.

"We don't fight little ladies, so we set Pops' nurses on 'em, eh. They're probably sipping tea and talking about girl stuff in the offices," Marco stated with a roll of his lazy eyes. A ghost of a smirk pulled at my lips before the Spades finally noticed we had made it into the room.

"Faye! Hurry and run! Those are dangerous men!" Hank exclaimed, forcing more of his strength to get the door opened. I rolled my eyes at the man, grabbing a set of keys from a peg beside the door and walking over to the cell. All of the crew stared at me; baffled looks took over all of their faces.

I grinned at them, working each key before the right one finally opened the cell. Benji pulled me into his arms immediately. I gasped as another shot of pain ran up my spine from my infected tattoo. Damn that hurt…

"Holy Sea King, we thought you were died the second we watched them take you below deck with that sack over your head. I'm so glad you're okay."

Aw, Benji was so sweet, but way too young for my liking. He had just hit puberty, after all.

…or was he just a really late bloomer?

"I'm perfectly fine. It's you guys I'm worried about. How're ya holding up?" I forced myself out of his arms and glanced over at the men. I could only hope the girls were alright. I hadn't gotten on any of the girls' good sides easy enough to know any by name or talk like them I would Mia, but I still worried about them. What can I say? I'm a worry-wart at times.

"We're fine, Faye. Just got a little roughed up," Hank told the me, patting her good shoulder.

Thatch snorted to himself at the old man's words. I rolled my eyes at him, but turned my attention back to Hank. "I didn't hurt you too bad did I? You kneeled over really quick…" I chewed on my lip. Hank simply shrugged it off.

"My family jewels are alright. I'm just getting a bit too old for that kind of warfare," Hank joked, ruffling my hair even more. I could feel a blush at Hank mentioning his – ahem – 'family jewels'. I was going to have to get used to that if I planned staying on a pirate ship.

Macro cleared his throat behind us, stepping into the opening of the cell. "Com'on Pix, Pops will want to meet you, eh. Not every day one of his sons is reunited with his niece."

Hank gave me a look, but I simply replied with four little words. "It's a long story."

I stepped out of the cell and let Marco guide me out of the brig and up the stairs to the deck. There, the crew was lazy about, some were already dozing off and others were cleaning/sharpening their just-used weapons. A shot coming from a pistol made me jump a few inches out of my skin, but Marco was were to chuckle and tell me it was just one of the men practicing on a few birds.

At the head of the ship, was a very _large_ chair being currently used by a very _large_ man. I was intimidated almost immediately, slowing my steps a little to hold out the walk as much as I could. Marco dragged me the rest of the way, not liking my slow speed.

I stood nervously before the Pirate Emperor, much like a child would if she had just been caught doing something she knew better than to do.

That's when I noticed the girls. My, my, those nurses were strong. Well . . . it's understandable seeing who they look after. All of the _Spades_ women had been tied up like hogs, their curses and yells muffled by the pieces of fabric stuffed in their mouths. I simply stared at them, scared for my life that that could have been me.

"Pops, this is my niece, La' Fayette Beatrice Callaghan, eh."

I scowled my uncle for giving my full name. I hated it more than I hated Marines. And that was saying something. Could you blame me for going by 'Faye', though?

"Faye," I hissed at Marco, but caught myself when I, again, noticed the large man. "I go by Faye, sir." There goes my dignity.

Whitebeard just simply looked at me, no expression on his face before he let out a full load of chuckles. His baritone voice surprised me slightly, but I hid it. "Welcome to the family!"

I thought I would never hear those words. A grin spread across my face and I wrapped my arms around Marco's neck. It wasn't until he returned the hug that I remembered the infected tattoo. Hissing with pain, I pulled away from my old man of an uncle and discarded my jacket. The fabric had rubbed the sore spot the wrong way.

One of the nurses glanced over at me just in time to see the yellowing and red back with the infected black spot of my tattoo. Before I knew it, I was being dragged away by chattering nurses as they all talked over how to treat my infection. Marco followed not far behind, his shoulders slumped as he dragged his feet lazily, both hands in his pockets.

I gave him a look of fear, not knowing what to expect.

"Who did your tat, Pix?"

I looked at him for a moment before answering with a simple name, "Syra."

The nurses stopped their chattering, and forcing me to a stop too, before we were moving again. I flashed a concern look to my uncle. His expression was that of rage. I've never seen him look so angry. What the hell?

"You mean Syra from Hastion City from a beat up shop known as the _S.C.S. of Ink?_" One of the nurses asked, her words sounding like a mother scolding her child.

"The very same, why?" I was confused, no, more than confused. The looks that were given my way made my confusion only grow.

"That dirty little wench…" One of the nurses cursed more, before I was pulled behind Whitebeard's large chair and forced to sit in a wooden chair like I had back at Syra and Al's tattoo shop. One of the nurses back in front of me, taking my arms and tying my wrists together.

I screamed.

"What the hell? What do you think you're doing?" I fought the women, but they were stronger than they looked. "Marco! Stop them!"

I was given no answer, simply held down until I felt the sharp sting of a blade cut across the lower part of my shoulder blade. I screamed bloody murder.

It hurt like _hell_. Like someone was dragging a flame of fire across my back; like I was being stabbed over and over again; like I was slowly being tortured into insanity.

And then it all stopped. I let out a shaky breath, noticing the hot tears that rolled down my face from the pain. I could hear my blouse being ripped, the sleeves cut so one of the women could pull it from my body.

My breasts were pushed against the rough wood of the chair as I leaned forward, away from the touch of the nurse. I could feel something cool wipe my back, more than likely the blood that was pouring from the cut in my skin. I felt the same cool texture on my forehead.

Slowly opening my eyes, I was met with the same color of green from a girl my age. 'Sorry,' she mouthed, dabbing the cloth on my forehead as I flinched at the contact with something cottony soft. One of the women pushed me back slightly, just enough for a roll of bandaging to wrap around my body.

"We had to get the puss out of the infection. Syra is a very dirty conwoman. I'm sorry you had to do through that, but if we didn't you would have died."

Suddenly, the thought of dying from one of Mia's ideas seemed so funny to me. I laughed half-heartedly, falling back onto the back of the chair as I rested. My hair was a mess, splatters of blood hung on the tips as I continued to laugh.

"She's going into shock!"

My wrists were unbound, but they limply feel back to my sides. The girl with the green eyes continued to dab at my forehead, trying to keep me from getting a fever.

I felt nauseas.

"Come on, we need to get her on a bed."

I was hoisted up onto my feet, staggering when my weight made my knees buckle. "Jesse, go clear out the men! We don't need 'em starin'."

I was forced to walk, my body being held up by two women much, much taller than me. Was it the heels they wore?

My head felt light, my back felt like it was on fire, and my legs were jelly. I practically tumbled down the stairs to the nurses' quarters. Carefully, they laid me on my stomach. I heard a chair be pulled up, the wood scrapping against the floorboards.

Marco softly stroked my hair. He chuckled, his droopy eyes closing momentarily. "We Callaghans were always conned so easily."

A soft smirk played at my lips.

"Your father with your mother and the Marines… your brother by your father… Whitebeard getting me to join his crew twenty years ago… and now you and Syra. Amazing, eh?"

"That's the Callaghan family for ya," I replied, my body slowly falling into the much needed rest after all that I had just been through.

"And I wouldn't have it any other way."

Family, got to love them.

_Now where the hell is Ace?_

**A/N:**

This is my "Happy Birthday, Baby!", "Merry Christmas!", and "Happy New Year!" to all for you.

On one note, I'd like to apologize to my baby (oMaM) for missing your first birthday! (I'm a horrible mother, I know.)

Second, Merry Christmas! I got some cool stuff. But not a lot since my Sweet Sixteen is coming up in 28 days (I CAN'T WAIT). And I'm going to Hawaii for the 70th Pearl Harbor Anniversary with the brigade. Gotta love being in colorguard.

Third, HAPPY NEW YEAR! You know what that means? ; D

I'll have Ace's present up later today on _A_ _Fairy Tale's_. Be looking out for it.

Enjoy, and review please!


	17. The Art of Getting By

**Chapter Sixteen: The Art of Getting By**

"_Catch a man a fish, and you can sell it to him. Teach a man to fish, and you ruin a wonderful business opportunity."  
- Karl Marx_

"How much for this hat?"

"Do you have any more of these boots in my size?"

"What other colors does this shirt come in?"

"These pants have a rip. How much is it to get them repaired?"

Hurrying behind the counter of my store, I tried to answer what questions I could. Money was constantly shoved into my face as pirate after pirate bought something. Soon, I would be completely out of stock, and it took at least two weeks to stock back up.

"How's it going, Faye?"

I spun around, shock evident on my face as I stared at the freckled cheeks and devil-may-care black hair.

"Ace?"

"Wait your turn, punk!" one of the customer snarled at Ace; a shirt, three pairs of trousers and a belt were piled in his arms. Ace backed up, but his grin at me didn't let up. Behind him, a few others of the Moby Dick crew were looking around. Some of the low-key pirates that were looking around kept a distance from them once seeing their tattoos.

Marco stepped up, his droopy eyes the same as always, but with a small glitter that told me he was happy to see me.

"I said, wait your turn–"

The pirate from before reached out to grab Ace's shirt collar, but Marco's hand stopped him before any damage could be done. The guy looked up in surprise, glaring at my uncle before the familiar flames of blue fire sprouted from his hand and heated along the forearm of the not-so-happy pirate.

He yelped in surprise, jumping back (dropping my stock in the process) as he looked at the red skin that had been burnt.

"Hey, pixie."

"Hey, Marco. What are you guys doing here?"

I continued to take money and give back change as a few of the other pirates paid for their things and left quickly. Thatch, the sweet man that I had come to be friends with, kindly picked up the fallen stock and placed it behind the counter for me to put back on the shelves.

"We had a few things that we needed to be fixed. Thought we could get a little discount from our favorite little fairy." Marco replied, a sloppy smile placed on his thin lips. I laughed, quickly counting out the correct change for the last pirate in line waiting to pay, before watching as he left.

"You know I don't mind mending a few shirts and trousers for you guys."

With that said, three large sacks full of clothes (I guessed and would soon be proven right) were hauled onto the counter. I stared at the sacks before looking up at my uncle and the smiling freckled face idiot that I had come to dislike being around. And then, I looked back at the sack, opening the top to look at the articles of clothing. As soon as I opened the bag, the rough stench of blood, sweat and mud caused my eyesight to go blurry with tears.

I quickly closed the bag before backing away as I coughed.

"Shit, Marco. What have you guys been doing, lately?"

"Looking for something."

Ace's tone of voice caused me to look up at him in surprise. His smiling, happy face was gone into complete seriousness. An eyebrow lifted up to my hairline as I straightened out my top and slipped out of my boots. It felt so much easier to walk around barefooted than it did in those things.

"And that something would be?"

I took the pile of stock from behind the counter and began to reshelf it. Marco and Ace followed me around like two little homeless puppies that I had just given something to eat.

"That's a need-to-know bases, and you don't need-to-know, pix."

I rolled my eyes, repositioning a pair of boots before folding two tops and hanging up another one of my newer silk robe designs.

"Well, if you want me to fix those clothes at all, then you better tell me. Otherwise, those clothes are only going to gather dust."

I smirked at the fact that it wasn't an empty threat. Marco and Ace looked at one another before finally giving in.

"Ace got promoted."

Now _that _I was _not _expecting. _At all._

"Oh, okay." I blinked in surprise, the shock evident in my eyes.

"I'm looking for more Devil's Fruit."

Now that definitely got my attention.

"Devil's Fruit? You know there is a reason why it's called the _Devil's _Fruit right?"

I was given a blank look from Ace.

"I'm just saying, Lord!" I pursed my lips in frustration before walking back to the counter and grabbing the bags of clothes.

"Give me until the end of the week. And you _are_ paying me for this!"

"All the gold and Beli you can carry, pix." Marco smiled at me, but I only huffed in return and dragged the bags to the backroom of my store.

_The Art of the Sun._

I came back out, and the Whitebeard Pirates had disappeared. My stop was bustling with more pirates, some even going as far to fight over some of the stock.

It was never liked this back in Loguetown…

_Loguetown. _

_Mia._

_Fire._

_Death._

Ace.

I stared out the clear front window of the stop, looking for the familiar top of black hair, mess of brown freckles, and _her_ hat.

Nothing. Just another mass of afternoon pirates going to and from stores that surrounded her in this familiar little town that she had been in for the past two months.

She never asked what Ace's promotion was to.

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

Faye stared at the burnt orange and dull gold-yellow sign that was once her stop before she grew too old to care for it anymore. Inside, she watched as Anne carried around her son, Acel, and was followed by her daughter, Mia.

Isaac, Faye's son-in-law, was behind the counter. She could faintly see him counting the month's intake of Beli. Anne was busy placing things back on the shelves and checking prices. Sometimes she'd turn around to say something to Mia before the little girl would run off and into the backroom before coming out with a notepad and then run back to get another piece of stock or whatever her mother asked for.

Anne looked up for a moment before seeing her mother. She grinned happily, getting her son's attention so he would look out the window at his grandmother. Instantly, the little boy started in a gurgle of words as he saw the familiar face.

Faye was motioned to come in, but she shook her head and waved for a moment before continuing on her walk.

The faint distant sound of a bell ringing met her old ears before a soft hand was placed on her shoulder.

"Mom?"

Faye stopped walking, but continued looking forward. The streets were bare, and the cobblestone was dark with shadows as the sun made its descent for the day, letting the moon awake and take its position in the sky.

"Yes, Anne, dear?"

"Are you alright?"

Faye was silent once again. She continued to watch with tired green eyes as the sky turned into a rainbow of pinks, oranges, and purples. The blue that followed the purples was dark. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen it that dark.

"I think so."

Anne didn't reply. She moved her hand away from her mother's shoulder. Faye kept watching. Anne looked in the direction her eyes were fixed, and she tried to see what her mother was looking at.

It was a simple cloud.

Outlined in blue, gray, orange, and pink. She watched as it took form.

A face that she had only seen once in pictures.

"Ace." Faye whispered to the wind. And for a once in a very long time, Faye felt young again. She felt like she could dance around the town without feeling the least bit sore the next day; she felt like she could put together five stock orders in one sitting; she felt like she could laugh and sing and cry all in happiness.

"You miss him."

"I miss him every second and every day."

"That's why you never found someone else."

"No." Anne looked at her mother, not knowing what to think of the answer.

"No?"

"I couldn't go looking for something that I knew wouldn't be there. That's why I never found anyone else."

"But you said–"

"I've been saying a lot of things lately, Anne."

"You said you couldn't find anyone because no one wanted to love a woman as independent as you, and with a baby girl."

Faye chuckled, finally turning to look at her daughter. What Anne saw left her breathless.

Faye looked so _young_. Her hair was in luscious black curls that fell half way to her waist. Her skin was sun kissed, smooth, with only a few scars from the past that Anne never got to know. Her eyes looked so happy, so green, so… _in love_.

Anne blinked, and that vision that she had was gone.

"That was part of it, but not the main reason. A few men have tried to get close to my heart."

"But?"

Faye smiled gently, lifting a weak hand to caress the freckled cheek of her grown daughter.

"I have no heart to get close to. It was given to the one man that was the sun to my dreary day as a seamstress."

"Dad."

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

"Ace!" I scowled his name as he simply walked into my room while I was in the middle of changing from my day clothes and into my sleeping top. I quickly pulled the stretched, yellowing fabric over my head, covering my naked body.

He grinned – his freckled cheeks and flash of rare pink.

"Are my shorts done yet?"

I scolded him for such a trivial reason to interrupt my nightly routine before bed.

"No, and I'll be sure to fix them last." I snapped, gathering my hair in one hand as I tied a strap of leather to keep the locks out of my face during my sleep… and while I sewed a few things before becoming too tired to continue sewing.

Ace poked out his lower lip, but the grin was still in his eyes. "C'mon, Faye, don't be like that. You know I didn't mean to sneak in while you were still dressin' up for me."

I scuffed, pushing him out of my way as I grabbed a basket full of (now) clean clothes, going through them to see what the damage was. I would work on the minor rips first before going to the major ones that may require extra fabric for patches.

Straightening my back up, two strong hands gripped my shoulders gently. His thumbs pressed against the base of my neck before rubbing and kneading against the tense muscles that had been stretched earlier today from working hard.

Not being able to help it, I sighed with a bit of relaxation making my shoulders sag as his fingers worked wonders on my knotted back.

I didn't care if my father walked in with guns a-blazing, I didn't want that glorious feeling to end.

A warm chest pressed against my back, hands still kneading my shoulders.

"I'm a commander now."

I hummed in acknowledgement; so that's what Marco was talking about earlier. I guess Ace finally got over his dislike of the Whitebeard pirates long enough to see that they weren't as bad as he thought they were. Then again, from what Marco had told me, was that they spared him without a second glance after taking him from his crew.

Men and their selfish pride.

"Second division; I'm third in command of the Moby Dick."

I made another hum, eyes closed as I start to doze off on my feet.

"Come back to us, Faye."

Slowly, my eyes opened again, and I turned to look up at Ace. There was a silence between us, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was… it was a silence where we both agreed to disagree and saw the other as an equal. It was a silence where…

"I'll come back."

…I made the best worst decision of my life.

"Good night, Faye."

"Good night, Ace."

And then, I was left by myself; left to realize what I had just done. I stared at the bags of clothes at my feet before sighing. I grabbed a stained white shirt, along with my needle and thread, before crawling into bed and patching up the rip that was frayed and going down the length of one of the sleeves.

**A/N:**

Can… can it really be? Is she back? No way! It was last year that she updated! It's a trick of the light. Bri can't, seriously, be updating again… can she?

Well, folks, I am! That's right. Last time I updated was almost seven months ago, to the date.

School starts back in… two and a half weeks? I'll be a junior in highschool. I'm going to tell you now, that it'll be a while after my update tonight, that I update again. My marching band is going to Hawaii in December, so we got a lot of shit to get ready for. Not to mention I get my class ring in August, and I have a job.

And I'm only two school years from being on my own, and a half a year from being an adult in my state of Georgia. (I'm an adult at 17.)

So, since it's been so long since I've spoken with all of you, I just want to thank all the almost-14,000 views that oMaM has gotten; all the 63 favorites and all 79 alerts for people who I hope still have hope that this story hasn't died. AND! All 110 reviews. You guys are amazing. It warms my heart to see that someone actually enjoys my writing.

_Now a few questions that I would like some of you to answer for me._

How many more chapters do you think there will be before Faye and/or Ace realizes s/he is in love with the other?

What characters are you waiting to see Faye interact with?

Should I keep writing the future!pieces between Faye and Anne & co.? Or just stick with the flashback/journal writings/Faye's telling of her story to Mia?

Are there any questions from earlier chapters that still haven't been answered?

What do you NOT like about the story?

_Also, I need help coming up with an original pirate crew. If you wish for a character of yours to be included, please message me with the information of the character by August 13__th__. Please and thank you!_

Love, Apples – AKA Dragon – AKA Bri.


	18. The Small Things in Life

**Chapter Seventeen: The Small Things in Life**

"_Sometimes, it's the smallest decisions that change your life in the biggest ways."  
- Unknown_

"I can't believe I'm doing this," I hissed under my breath as I trailed behind a group of merchants for recon. Whitebeard, the tricky bastard, had gotten me to watch the shipment that was coming from a ship, the _Horizon's Divide_, saying that there was a very important piece of merchandise on the ship.

A Devil's Fruit.

They didn't know which one it was, but they knew it was powerful; that was given away by its color. It was a very light violet color, almost the same color of purple that paints the sky at sunset. The swirls that outlined the fruit were a dark purple, almost black when in the shade away from the sun. They knew nothing else of its looks, but that was a good description of what to look for.

Looking away from the merchants that were carrying a small crate, that I could only guess the Devil's Fruit was in, my eyes were glued onto a very glittering necklace that yelled for me to stare at.

I changed my direction and went straight for the necklace. It was beautiful. _I wanted it so badly._

It was the least Whitebeard could do after getting me to do all this recon for him.

"I see you have found my most prized piece of jewelry."

I looked up in surprise at the deep voice that spoke to me. I nodded, my eyes glancing down at the necklace to search for a price tag.

"How much?"

The man grinned a sleazy smile at me. "What would you be willing to pay?"

And this is where my merchant side kicked in.

I bent down to look at the necklace, catching a few things.

"There's a few chips on some of the stones, showing that the person who cut them did a poor job." His grin fell almost instantly. Don't miss with me. I'm Callaghan Faye.

"The chain is a dull silver, showing that it is nothing more than paint and will rub off on my skin and cause my neck to turn green."

A crowd had began to gather, watching as I pointed out all the _bad _things about the necklace.

"And if I look under the centre jewel..." My fingers gently flipped the jewel up to look on the backside of it. I smirked in a _I knew it _way. "I'll find the _real_ creator of the piece, which isn't you; unless you go by the name, _Julie_."

Instantly, the merchant was in an onslaught of curses and calls for their money back.

Thank god I knew how to tell the difference between an original piece of jewelry and a fake.

I stepped back, allowing the merchant to get his dose of Faye-induced-pain for a lifetime. He was ruined in this town, now. Just as soon as I looked away from the stand, my mind went straight back to the task at hand.

The Devil's Fruit.

"Shit!" I cursed quite loudly, taking off in a run in the direction that I had been following the merchants in. There was no sign of them or the crate. I continued to run around, the sun blaring down on my back.

My coat seemed to get heavier and heavier with every minute that passed. I hurriedly wiped the sweat from my eyes, trying to get rid of the familiar burn of salt out of them. It was well into the afternoon when I finally gave up. I found no more small crates like the one they had. I found no shady business deals around alley corners or pirates boasting about their new prize.

Sighing to myself, I travelled back up the avenue of merchant stands, noticing the jeweler from earlier had long disappeared. I mentally smirked at that fact.

"Can I interest the lady in some cooling fruit for this hot afternoon?"

I looked over at the elder man, his gray hair busy and covering his ears. I smiled, but shook my head. I needed something to drink, not eat.

"No sweet melon to serenade your taste buds? Or citrus to tingle down your spine and turn you into the woman your man dreams of?"

I laughed at his words, finally answering with words.

"Such a way with words, but no thank you, sir."

He nodded, no longer pressing it. I stood under the shade his tent gave for one more moment before I began to take off in a walk back to the dock where Ace's devil fruit powered-boat was waiting.

"No even a fruit that would make the Devil cry out in ecstasy?"

I spun on my heel, staring at the light violet fruit that the man held in his hand. He smiled knowingly, kindly.

"I shall take that as a yes?"

I looked from the fruit, to him. "How did you know that was what I was looking for?"

The man laughed, setting the fruit on a piece of cloth before tying the fabric to hide the fruit.

"I have eaten the Devil's Fruit myself. I know when someone goes searching for something like it. You have a reason to help end this war."

I blinked, my brows furrowing in confusion.

"War? What war?"

He held out the fruit to me, his soft smile still on his face. "In time, you will know. Now quickly, get this back to your Captain. There are ears everywhere."

The fruit was pushed into my hands and I was shoved out of the way, just as a group of heavily armored (and very angry looking) pirates came rushing around the corner. They took one look at me and the bag in my hand before coming in my direction like a stampede of bulls.

I cursed under my breath and took off in a run. For such a small fruit, this thing was heavy.

Calls for me to stop and to give the fruit back met my ears, along with my own words to make anyone in my way get out of the way. I could smell the salty sea as I got closer. Ace, and his stupidly bright orange hat, was sitting, waiting for me. He looked up at the stampede of foot falls, seeing me running and the pirates just a number of feet away from me.

They were catching on quickly.

My path to the dock was blocked by seething pirates, merchant stands, and small areas that I wouldn't be able to fit through. I would have to go through the whole harbor's market place before I could get to the dock.

I found the end of the stalls, but it was quickly blocked by a very large seething pirate. He looked like a bull coming straight for me. Behind me was the pack of pirates that had wanted the fruit.

Only one thought came to mind now.

_Eat the fruit._

And so I did. I untied the fruit and brought the pale purple skin to my mouth. The look on the pirates' faces was priceless.

I took one large bite of the fruit, waiting for the taste to settle on my tongue.

It was bitter, tasteless almost, but there was the faint hint of something… magical in it.

I had just eaten a Devil's Fruit.

I was doomed.

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

Mia gasped at her words as she continued to write them.

"You ate a Devil's Fruit, grandma?" She squealed in surprise, her little brother looking up from his toy in surprise at the sound. He gurgled at her with angry words in his baby language before going back to playing.

Faye laughed, nodding as she calmed down her hysteria.

"Yes, I ate a Devil's Fruit, little one."

"That's so… cool!" Mia squealed again, bouncing in her seat as she watched her grandmother with proud eyes. "Does momma know?"

Faye shook her head. "No, your mother doesn't know. There are a few things that you know that she doesn't."

Mia nodded. "Our secret, grandma?"

Faye smiled, and nodded again. "That's right, Mia. Our little secret."

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

"Faye, duck!" Ace yelled as he came flying in, and I did just as he said.

I ducked down, shielding my head as he went all 'flameboy' on me. The pirates yelled in frustration at the loss of their Devil's Fruit, and now the loss of the person that just ate it.

To tell the truth, I didn't feel any different.

A strong hand grabbed mine and pulled me up, dragging me into a run as we ran from the distracted group of pirates. He walked right through the wall of fire that he had thrown up, and I was very reluctant to not pull myself to a stop before he pulled me through it too.

Not a single singe.

Ace continued to pull me toward the dock. Once to his boat, he threw me onto the front and he instantly started it up with his flaming feet. I gripped onto the warm metal, shivering as the water from the sea sprayed against my skin. I felt… weaker.

Looking onto the horizon, I searched for the familiar white bow of the Moby Dick but… but it wasn't there.

"Where's Whitebeard?" I asked hurriedly, looking back at Ace.

"They had another sighting of a Fruit at an island down the current. We'll have to catch back up with them tomorrow."

Tomorrow? I looked at him, confusion written in my eyes. I must have spoken my thoughts because he soon answered.

"We won't be able to catch up with them before nightfall, and I can't navigate in the dark." His were focused on the horizon, where the sun was slowly making a descent down into the water.

The usual oranges and pinks were gone with a fiery red that told me one thing.

_It's going to rain tonight._

"So where are we going?"

He didn't answer.

For a long time, we sped over the waters of the Grand Line, shooting past small islands and many other ships. Some went as far as to try and attack, noticing Ace's power from a mile away, but we were too fast for them. Ace leaned from side to side, smoothly, causing me to have time to grab on when he dodged a cannonball or gunfire without being jerked around and fall into the water.

Then we'd both be screwed.

I couldn't swim now because of the Devil's Fruit, and Ace would be the idiot to jump in and save me even thought he was a hammer.

Why'd I get stuck with the idiot?

Just as the water and sky began to reflect off one another and turn into one, a small island began to make a silhouette along the horizon. It was small, just big enough for a small house to rest upon and a dock to stick out by about ten feet.

There was nothing in sight along any horizon in any direction. It was the only island for miles.

What was a house doing so far out in the Grand Line?

Ace docked there, his small bogie bobbing with the soft current. He helped me onto the creaky walkway before walking in the direction of the house. Did he know who lived here?

"Where are we, Ace?" I called out to him, still a few feet behind as he opened the door.

He stilled for a moment, before looking at me over his shoulder. His freckles were in the outline of a grin as he showed me all his teeth. His brown eyes glistened with happiness and… nostalgia.

"We're at One Piece."

**A/N:**

What's this? Another update? In less than twenty-four hours? The world must be coming to an end!

But seriously, guys. I owe you a lot. And I've hit a sudden motivation to write again.

Faye has eaten a Devil's Fruit… but which Devil's Fruit? (If you've read _A Fairy's Tale_ then you know which, so shush!) And Ace doesn't know… the only ones who do are the pirates back at the market who were chasing her.

What does Ace mean by _One Piece_? Is he going to tell Faye about his past? WHEN WILL THEY FINALLY SEE THAT THEY'RE IN LOVE?

(God, I feel like a soap opera announcer…)

**Love, Apples.**

PS. Thank you for the four reviews that I've gotten over these sixteen-ish hours since I posted chapter sixteen. You guys have made me very happy. (I would still like those questions from sixteen to be answered, and please send in information for an original pirate crew that I need. I've only gotten one so far!)


	19. The Prince and the Pauper

**Chapter Eighteen: The Prince and the Pauper**

"_Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown."  
-Shakespeare, Henry IV_

"No way," Mia said as she held her sleeping brother in her lap, staring at her grandmother with wide eyes. Faye had grown older as her grandchildren began to grow. Her beautiful granddaughter looked just as Anne had when she was only ten years of age.

How long had it been since she started her story of meeting one certain pirate and soon became trapped in a world of something she had told herself to stay away from.

"He took you to _One Piece_?" she asked, sitting on the edge of her chair as she continued to rock her brother to sleep. The poor boy had been up all night crying from an ear ache. Faye had asked to watch them so both parents could get some sleep; leaving the shop closed for the day.

Faye chuckled and leaned back in her chair. It had been a few days since she had moved from that position. Her old bones no longer had the strength to walk around town like she used to. Sometimes, she would just simply sleep sitting up, not finding any motivation to get up and walk the few feet to her bed.

It was only a matter of time before she would no longer see the sun rise from her window; or hear the laughter from her grandchildren; or curse herself for how much Anne looked more and more like Ace every day.

It was only a matter of time…

"You have quite a habit of interrupting me, sweet child. Your mother was never this talkative."

Mia smiled sheepishly before going quiet again, waiting for the story.

"As I was saying…"

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

"You're Gold Roger's son."

It was a statement more than a question.

"You're Gold Roger's son."

For some reason, it didn't feel right coming off my lips. The rolling of my tongue felt foreign. I couldn't look at him.

"You're _Gold Roger's son._"

Ace seemed to squirm under my gaze; my jaw fell slack as the thought finally processed and I was able to realize _where exactly we were_.

"This is One Piece?" I asked, my voice cracking into an octave higher than usual. Sea god, why hadn't I seen this coming?

Ace rubbed at the back of his neck, eyes closed as he sighed and tried to find the right words.

"Well, it's my One Piece."

Men and their confusing words…

"What do you mean by _your_ One Piece?"

Ace looked up at me, his expression serious, once again.

"Roger had his One Piece, all the treasure he had stolen and found hidden away. This is my One Piece. My treasure."

"This old shack?"

Ace pursed his lips, sitting up straight from his position on the floor.

"It's not that old!" There was a silence between us before he sighed again. "This is what is left of the village that my mother was born in. The rest of the village is underwater."

I was taken aback by the words that I was hearing. _The village was now underwater?_

"What happened?"

Ace shrugged, uncrossing his legs as he leaned back with his arms holding his upper body up. He looked out the glassless window to the right of me. His eyes were dark with nostalgia.

"How long has it been since you've been here?" I asked my voice soft as the darkness over took us; only a single flame from a small candle kept the only warmth in the room.

But… Ace had a reddish glow to him. It was like a sun trying to come out from behind the moon. It was faint, but I could see the red lining of his silhouette.

"When I left Garp's dream to become a pirate… about a year and a half ago."

I nodded, although I gave a soft snort of laughter at his words. I knew exactly what he meant.

No more words were spoken. I had many answers, but I couldn't bring myself to ask them.

Ace was the son of Gold Roger, the infamous Pirate King. Ace grew up under the supervision of a Mountain Bandit; he ate a Devil's Fruit at the age of eighteen; he had a friend, Sabo that died when they were just children. (He farther explained that that was the reason for the crossed out **S** in his tattoo.) He had a younger brother, Luffy; his 'grandfather' was Monkey D. Garp – the supervisor of my father and brother.

Ace was a 'prince'.

I was a pauper.

Sea God, it sounded like some shitty story that my mother used to tell me every night just so I would get bored enough to fall asleep. (I will never admit that I actually enjoyed the stories.)

If only my prince charming could sweep my off my feet now.

"Why are you telling _me_ this?"

Oh wait…

The distant rolling of thunder interrupted my thoughts, and I looked straight to the window to watch as a flash of violet lightning outlined the clouds as it struck the sea. I shivered at the cold wind that blew though the glassless window from the pouring rain. The waves bounced and jumped high, but none touched the house.

A warm arm placed itself around my shoulders, instantly feeling me with heat. My cheeks flushed in the dark as I felt the smooth freckled skin of Ace's chest press onto my back. He laid back, pulling me to lay with my back on his chest; affectionate arms surrounded my waist as the storm continued to fall around us.

Maybe I had already found my prince…

"Because you mean something to me, Faye. I don't want to keep any secrets from you."

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

The smooth lapping of waves against a grassy shore awoke me. Sea gulls cried out as they searched for fish and a high place to roost as the sun reflected against the waters.

I felt warm; safe. I felt like I finally belonged somewhere, somewhere that I could call home.

Ace's _One Piece_…

Sitting up, my knuckled the sleep from my eyes and went to place my feet on the ground when—

I fell. I fell off the couch and onto the floor. The wooden floorboards were dusty, old, would creak under too much weight.

But that's not what caught my attention.

No, what caught my attention was the fact that I could look under the soft sofa that I had fallen asleep on and find dusty bunnies that were _bigger than me_.

I looked up. The ceiling looked miles up above me. I felt like an ant. I _was _an ant. (Not literally, but I was the size of one.)

I screamed, but it must have sounded like a small squeak of a floorboard, because Ace didn't move from his position on the couch. Somehow, over the course of ten hours of much needed sleep, I had shrunk in size to that of an insect. The only question was _how_, and I already had an answer before I even asked the question.

_I had eaten the Mini Mini no mi._

Holy shit, I was going to be tiny for the rest of my life.

And just at that thought, the ceiling became closer; the dusty balls disappeared out of sight.

Only I would get stuck with such a shitty power. How was _shrinking_ a "powerful" ability? Sure, it would be great for sneaking around (I guess), but, really? And I was stuck with this for _life_?

I was back to my regular size, staring at the snoring freckled face of Ace as he scratched at his belly while sleeping. God, I was so tired… but knowing what had happened now, I doubted I would be able to sleep until I talked to Marco about this.

Ace awoke a few minutes later, a puff of flames sprouting from his mouth as he yawned. His stomach rumbled with hunger, just as the sky had rumbled with thunder the night before. He noticed me looking at him.

"How long have you been awake?" he asked, brushing his fingers through his hair before placing his—_my_ hat atop his head. I shrugged, catching my calm from what had just happened.

"A few minutes."

We sat there, listening to the waves of the Grand Line, continuing to wake up for the day.

"C'mon. Pops is probably wondering where we are."

Ace held out his hand for me, flashing me one of his familiar freckled face grins as he waited for me to take it. And, surprisingly, I did. My palm met his unnaturally heated one. My green eyes locked in on his brown ones as he pulled me up. We stood there, in the dusty old cabin, looking at one another…

"C'mon."

He let go of my head and turned away from me, bowing his head to hide his eyes in the shadow of his hat. Ace walked to the door, grabbing his bag on the way, before disappearing down to the dock. I watched, waited until I heard the creak of the dock, before I followed.

Ace had told me about his past – but he knew not a single thing about mine. I doubted I could last the whole ride to the Moby Dick in silence like we had been spending it, lately. I had to tell him.

Walking out of the house, I followed his footsteps in the grass to the dock, where Ace waited, setting his bag in a hidden compartment where I had been sitting lately. Hearing the dock creak under my feet, he looked up, closing the compartment before holding out his hand again to help me on to it. I took it without hesitation, cautiously jumping down and situating my rear onto the warm metal.

His feet melted into flickering fire and the boat began to move with a low whine.

I sat with my back to Ace, the fire from his powers warming my back as I folded my jacket to rest in my lap. I pulled my hair back so the wind wouldn't whip it around my face. After awhile as the blue water started to shimmer silver and gold from the sun, I turned to face Ace, his eyes looking out to the horizon for any signs of the Moby Dick. It was only then that I noticed the Log Pose on his rest, and the way he stood with his hands in his pockets.

"Hey, Ace?"

He looked down at me, giving a muffled sound of acknowledgement.

"You've told me about your past. It's only right that I tell you about mine."

He gave a quiet sigh, before powering down the flames and his feet melted back into view. He sat with his back pressed against the mass. "You don't have to—"

"I _want_ to."

He kept quiet.

"I was born on an island in North Blue called Ynis Witrin."

I fiddled with a frayed tread at the end of my right sleeve.

"My mother was Emery Lynette." I looked up at him. "Have you ever heard of the Isle of Women?" He nodded. "My mother was from Amazon Lily." He nodded again. "When she left to conceive a child, she found my father and they had Jyrik. She was not allowed back due to her child being a son."

There was a silence.

"My father, Vice Admiral Callaghan Vian."

Ace stared in shock.

"He, and my brother Jyrik, are under the supervision of your grandfather, Monkey D. Garp."

Silence. We simply floated in the water.

"It was constant winter on Ynis, and I hated it. There was only four months of warmth before the cold came back. I hated winter, but I hated what my father did even more.

"Ever since I was able to walk, he would take an hour out of my day to push me to my limits, train me to become the Marine that he was training my brother to be. I loved my father more than anything, but I hated that he brought his work home.

"One day, when I was just old enough to start having a good memory, my uncle Marco came over. He was the kindest man I had ever known. He would play with me, and tell me stories of the Grand line, and be the father that my own never was.

"Then, when I was five, my father and uncle Marco had a big fight. That's when I saw his phoenix powers. They were fighting about Marco joining Whitebeard's crew. He was the Vice-commander of the third division at the time.

"After that day, I never saw my uncle again. Mom would always sneak in with the paper every morning to read me anything on Whitebeard, or Marco, but…"

I brought my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them as I felt Ace's eyes burn onto my skin.

"When I was ten, my brother was old enough to join the Marines, and my father couldn't have been happier. But, now that my brother was gone, he had all the time to train me. My brother… changed over the course of the next two years.

"He had always been so nice to me, beating up anyone who made fun of me and carrying my around when I got hurt… but the Marines changed him. He wasn't nice, or the big brother that I could look up to. He shunned me for not being able to hold up to our father's standards.

"Mother was always busy doing housework or talking with her friends. Father was constantly out at sea trying to capture his own brother and Jyrik… Jyrik just disappeared off the face of the planet and became Lieutenant Callaghan."

I finally looked up, seeing as Ace looked at me with an indescribable expression. There was no pity, or understanding, or sadness, or empathy…

"I was thirteen when I taught myself to sew," I looked away from him and back out at the sea. "It was my escape from all the hardships. I would cut apart some of my own clothes and create something new from it. I was sixteen when I ran away from home.

"I snuck onto a merchant's ship and when he found me, I was put to work as their tailor until I paid off my journey and found myself in Loguetown. There, I met Mia while looking for a place to stay, and we stayed together. She was very good at mathematics, so with the money that we had saved up we opened _The Sun's Home_ and then you came along…"

I laughed to myself, remembering all that had just happened over the past eight or so months.

"Now, let's get back to the Moby Dick, eh?"

I smiled, but it didn't reach my eyes, and it felt… forced. Ace could see that it was fake, but he nodded and stood again, starting off in a slow push to get the speed caught up again. It was only another two hours before the Whitebeard Pirates came into view.

Ace roped his boat to the Moby and Thatch threw a ladder for us. I usually climbed up, Ace following by a foot or two. The first person I looked to when I was a board, was Marco.

He smiled, happy to see me, but his smile fell at my serious expression.

"I need to talk to Whitebeard."

**A/N:**

Yay! We finally know about Faye's past!

Yay! Ace told Faye who he is!

YAY! Faye finally realizes her feelings for Ace!

Yay! …Ace has feelings for her?

Another chapter (and a bit longer than the last two.)

I have band camp in about forty-five minutes and do NOT look forward to doing the hula or doing drop spins for four hours.

But this is the last week, yay!

Enjoy. Review please. :iamhappyplz:


	20. The Broken Clock

**Chapter Nineteen: The Broken Clock**

"_Calendars and clocks exist to measure time, but that signifies little because we all know that an hour can seem as eternity or pass in a flash, according to how we spend it."__  
__- __Michael Ende_

Faye sat in front of a grave. It was an empty one, carrying only a tombstone, long enough dulled by the sea winds, and a long-time decayed drawing that had been buried decades before. The ground was smooth with autumn grass, and trees' golden leaves swayed in the wind before falling to the ground, one at a time.

"Hello, Mia," the old woman spoke to no one in particular. "It's been awhile, huh?" she spoke again, but there was no answer, much like many times before. The warm autumn sun hit her shoulders and neck; the gray in er hair was highlighted like a wop-sided halo above her head.

"Fifty years, right?"

The wind whispered I her ear. It curled around her thinning hair; it brushed her cheeks and neck. The simple poppy flowers arranged in a simple bouquet, bent in her hand from the wind. They straightened up once again, as the wind lost its strength.

"How is it up there?

"Are the clouds as soft as you thought?

"Any cute men that are losing their religion for you?

"Have you watched my life, the one you were supposed to be blessed with?"

She suddenly felt numb – but there was a dull throb in her heart. It was the pain in the feeling of numbness. Faye had only felt this once before, and it was when she watched her beloved simmer into a slow pile of ashes before her eyes. How long had it been since that god forsaken day?

"I miss you, Mia," Faye mumbled, setting the bouquet down below the two dates of the stone tomb marker. Slowly, she stood, her cane a crunch that she had used for many months now. Slowly, and almost falling, Faye made her way down the small hill where a carriage awaited her.

**OF MEMORS AND MAPS**

"I'm gonna to kill ya, Ace," I hissed, glaring darkly at him through the bars. He grinned back at me.

"And how, my dear, Faye, are you going to do that?"

"Slowly, painfully, and with lotsa sharp thingies."

After my not-so-empty threat was put up front, I turned away from him and seethed darkly. The guard that was supposed to be watching us was sound asleep on the other side of the bars, snoring away the end of the world.

I heard Ace shudder, but there were no more words spoken between us.

"I'm going to kill him too…" I mumbled under my breath, cursing the existence of the guard. He had been the Marine to catch Ace and I as we went off on a little adventure on the island of Zanoria. There had been a few rumors that a Devil's Fruit was being passed along there in the Black Market, and Whitebeard wanted to get to it before it got into the wrong hands.

Of course, it was a trap, and here Ace and I were, arrested and awaiting farther prosecution since Ace was obviously noticed, and they were able to pull my files when one of the Marines recognized me. Somehow, my file had said I was dead, but I was very much alive.

My thoughts were brought back to the old memory of Hastion City and those Marines…

The door to the jail slammed open. I jumped slightly, surprised. Looking over at Ace, we shared a look of concern before keeping our eyes front. My tan skin went pale and my blood ran a deathly cold.

"Faye."

My name felt foreign on his tongue.

"Jyrik."

I had last seen my brother when I escaped from my home in North Blue. He had just arrived for a short leave and was spending time there for mother's birthday. And now here he was, standing before me as my prosecutor, judge, jury, and executor.

"Father doesn't know you're here."

"Good."

"He believes you're still at that pathetic shop of yours with that whore, Kelvin."

If my skin could grow paler, it just did.

"How'd ya-?"

"Know?" He finished my broken, stuttered words. "I've kept a close eye on you, Faye. You are my baby sister after all."

I hissed at him, my anger finally overthrowing my fear and numbness.

"Why does mah file say I'm dead?"

Jyrik chuckled, squatting down to my level, eye to eye with me through the bars. If it weren't for the handcuffs I would have slapped him silly and—

Wait. The handcuffs. They weren't kairoseki stone!

"My dear, sister, haven't you already figured it out?" His hand reached through the bar and gripped the side of my head, his fingers digging roughly through my hair. I muffled the pained gasp as he pulled me against the bars, my ear sticking out between two of them. Jyrik's grip on my hair became unbearable, soon, and I struggled to get free.

I could hear Ace in the background, struggling with his chains, but it was useless – his Mera Mera powers wouldn't work.

"Because, Faye," he mumbled into my ear. I cringed at his voice. "As long as you're alive, the Emery bloodline lives, and the Hokkyokukou are going to be in your possession."

Again with the _Emery_ thing!

I growled, pushing away the pain shooting through my scalp just long enough to say, "I have no clue about what ya're talkin' about, Jyrik." There was a pause, and I could feel him frown – his sickly hot breath no longer blew on my ear.

"You really don't know what's going on, do you, little sister?" I hissed as he tugged on my hair again, and I heard the clink of chains as Ace struggled more. "Keep still, Portgas!" he boomed, ordering the pirate with his words. Ace seethed at him, a glare evident in his brown eyes. Jyrik's lip turned up in his own sneer. He turned back to me, letting me go, tossing my hair from his hand. My head went flying back, hitting the bars off to the side that separated Ace's and I cells from the other.

"At the beginning of the exploration of the Grand Line, a trio of sisters set out and colonized the isle of Amazon Lily," Jyrik began, turning his back from me, walking over to the still snoring guard. "There was Morgana, the oldest, Tradane, the middle, and Emery, the youngest.

"Morgana wished to keep the island as a paradise for just her and her sisters, but Emery wished to produce a daughter to spend time with, much like her mother had done her sisters and her."

I half listened to the story, silently wording Ace to be still and quiet as slowly began to shrink. I would hate to do it fast, and the cuffs fall to the cobblestone floor, causing a lot of nose and giving me away. Ace stared with wide eyes, and I couldn't help but smirk a bit. I was surely going to have to remember that face – I loved seeing him get surprised.

"Emery left the island and came back nine months later with a small child – a daughter. Tradane soon followed her younger sister's footsteps, and the two had many children between the two. Finally, before Morgana was no longer able to have children, she left the island and came back with her own daughter. As Morgana and Emery grew old and died, their daughters began to argue over who would be the leader of the newly named Amazon Lily. Emery's first daughter, Abdeil, argued that she was the oldest and would take over after Tradane died. Morgana's only daughter, Lordoxa, argued since she was the only daughter of Morgana, the oldest sister, that she shall take over."

Soon, I was just small enough to slip the cuffs off quietly and set them off to the side on some straw, muffling the clinks.

"Finally, Tradane's daughters thought of the idea of a battle to the death. Lordoxa forged her weapon of bows and arrows from the bark of an Arpiun tree and hair of the Serpent Witch that had been locked away into the lowest cave of the island. Abdeil forged her weapon of two swords from the scales of the Ibasesc Serpent fish, a rare monster that lurked around the island, protecting the women."

I shrunk a tad bit smaller, slipping into Ace's cell. He opened his mouth to speak, but I quickly placed my hand over his lips. Shaking my head 'no', I kept him from talking as I pulled a pin from my pocket of my trousers and fiddled around in the lock of Ace's cuffs.

"The two fought, and many watched on for days as they continued to match in strength and power. Then, when Lordoxa's arrows began to weaken Abdeil took her opening, and struck her cousin with such a force, that Lordoxa fell in a puddle of blood."

Almost giving up on the lock, there was a soft click, and I hurriedly worked on the other. Once Ace was free, I helped his weak form up, mouthing a question to ask if he was alright. He nodded, his shaggy hair falling in front of his eyes.

"But unknown to the rest of the island Lordoxa had a daughter, who would later kill Abdeil in her sleep. The swords of Abdeil, the Hokkyokukou, were forever lost after her murder… until a century ago when our grandmother Ilayda was blessed with them as a young girl from her mother."

I leaned Ace against the cool stone wall, instantly shivering as soon as I lost contact with him. The warmth he gave off was nice, and felt much nicer than the freezing cold of the cell. I shrunk just a bit smaller, holding my breath as I slipped out from between the bars, taking my time to rise to my full size again and walk behind my oblivious brother.

"The Hokkyokukou hold a power like any other but only the youngest living _female_ direct descendant of Emery may weld, but I've found a way to get through that."

He turned suddenly, his hand reaching out and gripping m throat. Instantly, I was scratching at is wrist, choking for air. "As soon as I kill you, I can find a woman who will have my child, and my daughter will weld the Hokkyokukou. Through her, I shall control the power and defeat the World Government and take over."

I could hear Ace beating against the bars of the cell. He used his Mera Mera power, but the metal wouldn't melt. My back hit the wall; my legs kicked as I was lifted a few more inches in the air.

"The idiot that killed your whore friend was stupid and obviously colorblind, he was punished for his mistake, but now, Father will definitely know that you have died. I'll blame it on a boat accident and throw your useless body out to sea."

He brought his face close to mine – his sickly breath on me again. Jyrik seethed. "You always did like the sea."

"Yeah?" I choked out, gritting my teeth as I kicked my feet. "Well here's a news flash for you, Jyrik." My foot landed a kick on his stomach. He coughed letting go of my neck as he reached to grab the aching spot. "You're not going to get the pleasure of killing me today, or any day, as a matter of fact!"

My foot landed on his shin, and he dropped to a knee. My knee butted his face, and he ended up in a fetal position on the floor. I brushed my hair from my face, grabbed the keys from the peg on the wall and backed away.

"You're a dead man walking, now, Jyrik. You and that stupid Marine are going to pay for Mia's death."

Quickly, I unlocked Ace's cell and pulled him out of the jail by the hand. The guard had slept through the entire exchange. The city was bustling with merchants and we bumped into plenty of Marines, but most were too new to notice just who exactly Ace was.

We made it to the docks and were able to find Ace's hidden boat without much trouble. I hopped one, and immediately after, Ace was firing up the engine, and riding off to the coordinates that we knew the Moby Dick would be in.

The ride was silent; I nursed my now bruised throat and aching head. The spray of salt water didn't make me feel much better either . . .

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

The small children looked on with awe as Faye told them the story of Amazon Lily. The boys grinned at the 'death' of the sister, but the girls had silent tears in their eyes, feeling sorry for the sisters that had to fight the other instead of just sharing the position. If only things were that easy …

Faye had the sheathed forms of Hokyokukou resting across her lap; the white one sparkled like a thousand diamonds in the spring sun while the black one shined a dull darkness. Streams of rainbows were laced up both sides, forming a hilt of opposite color of the sheath.

"Are those the real ones?" a boy asked, rising up higher on his knees to get a better look. A few others leaned in also. Faye chuckled and nodded.

"Yes these are the real Hokyokukou swords. Does anyone know what 'Hokyokukou' means?"

There was a small silence. Faye smiled as she watched the children look around for anyone that might know.

"It means 'northern lights', right, Missus Callaghan?" asked an older girl, who had just walked up to hear the question. Faye's smile widened.

Nodding she continued, "Yes, it does…"

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

"You ate the Devil's Fruit?" Ace bellowed, smoke literally coming from his ears as his hand began to be set aflame. I backed away slightly, surprised at his outburst. Marco instantly appeared, watching Ace with keen lazy eyes. "How come you didn't tell me?"

I frowned, and crossed my arms over my chest. "It never came up."

"Never came up!" he yelled again. I cringed as the volume hit my ear drums. "No, what never came up was that you're related to one of the most betraying men in the world. What never came up was that your brother is as equally as sick. _THIS_ is something you have to tell me!"

"Why?" I pressed, frowning as I backed away some more as he got closer.

Ace's eyes were lit with an internal fire.

"Why?" I was really getting annoyed by this yelling. "So I'll know if I need to send someone in if you fall in the water!"

I rolled my eyes. "When would I ever fall in the water-?"

Unable to finish my question, I fell back, tripping over a lone crate. Ace's eyes grew a few inches as he reached for me. In slow motion, I fell back, and felt my back hit the water. Ace dived in for me just before I went fully under. I saw an arch of bubbles as Ace hit the surface and instantly began to sink with me. His hands reached for mine, and I couldn't feel his warmth in the chilled liquid.

Our eyes met, and I thought for a moment, that I wouldn't mind dying now, as long as it meant I was with someone I cared about.

I cared about Ace, way more than I let on. I'm sure Marco and Hank had an idea of it, but I was now admitting it … I had fallen for the big headed, freckled faced, flame-for-a-brain idiot Ace. And I wouldn't doubt it if he hadn't fallen for me back.

Wrapped in his arms in the freezing water, I closed my eyes as we sunk farther – I tried to hold my breath as long as I could, but the lack of oxygen was causing my thoughts to go blurry. My arms wrapped right back around me, not wishing to let go… It seemed Jyrik was going to get his wish.

And then a thick rope was wrapped around us, and we were both being instantly pulled to the surface. I gasped for air as soon as I was allowed the oxygen, and coughed by swallows of water had gotten into my lungs. I was pulled onto the deck of the Moby Dick, covered in salt water. I knelt over, coughing up a lung as I felt the water swish in me. Looking up, I found Ace doing the same.

His hair was a mess, plastered to his face, covering his eyes as he coughed also.

"Idiots," I heard Marco mumbled as he rubbed my back. Once gathering the strength, and complete idiocy to, I crawled over to beside Ace. Marco looked on with surprised yet lazy eyes.

"Ace," I barely got out through my hoarse voice, coughing slightly as I felt more water coming up. Ace looked up at me, his eyes barely seeing me past his curtain of hair. "Thank you."

And then I did the most stupid thing I could do at the moment – I caressed the side of his neck and kissed his warm lips. But, he kissed me back.

Maybe I had done something right after all?

**A/N:**

I just wanted to thank everyone for these last two years. It has been an amazing journey for me, and I'm kind of excited to see how it will all end! I would like to thank all 124 reviewers I have had, all 74 favorites, all 92 alerts, and definitely all almost-18,000 of you that have read. Thank god this story is far from being over!

Just wanted to wish my baby a happy second birthday, and finally get myself to update. Now we've gotten to the good stuff. :D

Obviously, I used my artistic licenses on the whole Amazon Lily background, and I do hope you don't steal my idea. It took me days to think of the background to go with the story behind the Hokkyokukou swords. (and it does, very roughly, mean Northern Lights.) Please excuse any and all errors.

I know I won't be able to update again until my Christmas break begins (which is next Friday, the 23rd. I know, right? So stupid getting out two days before Christmas.). Please, everyone review! I want to know how excited you all are on getting this chapter. :)

Love, Peace, and Bacon Grease,

Apples, aka Bri.


	21. The Flame of Love and Lust

**Chapter Twenty: The Flame of Love and Lust**

_A chicken and an egg are lying in bed. The chicken is smoking a cigarette with a satisfied smile on its face and the egg is frowning and looking put out. The egg mutters to no one in particular, "I guess we answered _that_ question."  
-Author Unknown _

"What was Uncle Marco like, grandma?" Mia asked, speaking for the first time that day, as she sat at the window and slowly moved a needle with thread tied to it. Faye looked up from her lap, her own piece of fabric and needle in her hands. Acel ran around the front yard of her cottage, ordering an imaginary crew around as he captained his ship – _The Eternal Fire_, he had called it. Faye almost cried when she heard him.

Faye smiled softly, putting her small hobby down and weakly pulled her leather bound book into her lap. Mia looked up at not hearing any verbal response.

She found her grandmother smiling down at something on one of the pages of her book. Mia sat her embroidery down on the window sill and walked over. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Faye looked up. She weakly moved the book into Mia's lap and pointed with a skinny finger to sketch and coloring of a man with tan skin and an odd hair style.

"Marco Callaghan was the First Division Commander of the Moby Dick. He was, in all sense, the second in command of all Whitebeard Pirates. He was called 'Phoenix Marco' due to his Devil Fruit's power..."

"He ate a Mythical Zoan fruit, right?" Mia finished, looking up from the sketch. Faye smiled and nodded.

"He was the brother of my father – many could never tell that we were related due to me have inherited my mother's looks, but we had the same eyes." She explained, fingering the sketch with affection. "…the same bright green that stood out against the blue of the ocean."

Mia smiled fondly as she looked from the sketch to the eyes of her grandmother.

"He always called me Pixie, and was constantly chasing your mother around like he used to do with me."

"When did you last see him?" Mia asked, resting her chin on her hand. Faye's smile fell ever-so slightly.

"It was right before your mother's tenth birthday… he was still Captain of the Moby Dick."

"And?"

Faye looked up, pulling herself from her faint memories. Her smile was sad. "He died a few months later from a heart attack. Marco always thought he'd die in battle, protecting those he loved, but his heart couldn't take the stress of what he had lived through any longer, and gave out."

Mia looked down, feeling the emotion of loss swell in her chest. What if he had lived … would she have gotten the chance to meet him? Would she have gotten the chance to see what he was like?

Would see have gotten the chance to see what it meant to live the life of a pirate? Mia had thought so many times of what the life of a pirate was like … she had even gone as far to decide on the idea that when she turned seventeen, she would leave home and become a pirate. But she was only thirteen, and had plenty of time between now and then to completely decide.

"But he was an amazing man that left an even more amazing legacy."

Mia smiled brightly again at the happy tone of her grandmother. "Tell me some more, grandma."

Faye chuckled weakly, splaying her hand over the page in her book. "Of course."

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

"What's wrong this time, eh, Pix?" Marco asked me as he climbed up through the hole of the Look Out and sat beside me. I shrugged and kept sketching in my book I could feel him roll his lazy eyes, but I didn't see it. I couldn't look at anybody nowadays. Marco looked over my shoulder at the sketch and sighed.

"He obviously knows you like him, Faye, and I'm positive he's got some feelings for you, too. What's the problem?"

I mumbled something, but even I couldn't hear it.

"Hm? What was that, eh?"

I mumbled again, a bit louder, but still too low. Marco grabbed my hand and stopped me from scratching another line on the parchment paper. I finally looked up, bags obviously gathered under my eyes; the green had lost its sparkle and had faded into a dull plant color.

"I'm about to throw you off the ship and let Ace be an idiot and go and try to save you again," he frowned as he spoke to me. I couldn't help the tiny smirk and snort of a laugh. He smirked back; I looked back down. He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look him in the eye.

"I'm serious, Faye. Talk to me, or I'm throwing you overboard."

I chuckled, my chest huffing dryly as I did so. I shook for a moment with amusement before sighing in defeat and closing my book.

"I do like him," I finally spoke loud enough for him to hear me. Marco nodded and sat back, his lazy eyes never leaving my exhausted looking face.

"Okay," he said. "Then go do something about it, eh."

I do not know what my uncle meant at that time, but I soon found out that talking about it actually helps. Of course I decided to go talk to the girls about it, not Ace. They helped me enough to where I knew I had to talk to him about it, sooner or later that is. I picked later. I was not going to talk to him. I moved down from the lookout with my book still under my arm and quickly went into the dining hall. I was going to hold out on talking to Ace, as long as I could.

And luck would have it, that I would find him in the dining hall. He was sitting amongst his crewmates eating plates of food, and I could not help but notice the way his freckles stretched over his face when he smiled. And notice the way that the crossed out **S** on his bicep would wiggle when he moved his hand. And notice the way his grin made my fingers tremble, causing me to drop my book.

They looked up at the thud, and I ducked to pick up my belongings and quickly get out. When I reached out to grab a few scattered papers, Ace's warm hand got them before me. Looking up in surprise, he smiled as he handed me my papers, standing from his squatting position. I stood also, quickly brushing my hair from my face and then back and forth from over my shoulder to behind my back. It was one of my few ways to tell I was nervous.

"Hey, Faye, haven't seen you in the past few days." He greeted, although I knew he was nervous also. We hadn't spoken much since the incident of going overboard, but I knew he didn't regret it. "Take a chat with me?" he asked, presenting his arm for me to take.

The crew was forgotten, and I smiled, nodding.

My book was the only thing keeping me to the ground. Ace's skin was warm against mine – no, better than warm. It was this amazing heat that made my blood sizzle in my veins that I never wanted to end. He led me from the mess hall to the quarter deck, taking over the large wheel from one of the Thatch's division's men. I stood off to the side, not sure of what to say.

Good _Lord_, I sounded like such a whimpy little _school girl_. I was a woman! I should be playing hard to get!

But when I took the fact that Ace's mentally was also in the equation, I kind of understood why I was acting like such a teenager. Then again… maybe I wasn't giving him enough credit?

We looked out over the ship, watching as a select few of crew members lazed about the deck and others were hard at tying off sails to the three large masts. Whitebeard wanted to go to another island where there was talk of Devil Fruits; he also _knew_ that this source could be trusted. It was one of his old division commanders who had left to make a name for him.

"Excited to get off the ship?" he asked out of nowhere, and I instantly knew how we were going to get through today… with awkward moments of slow small talk. I hated small talk. It was just a waste of breath that I knew I would need in sixty years, so I went ahead and got through it.

Like a band-aid; if you pull it slow and 'gentle' it hurts like a bitch, but if you do it quick, you only feel a tad sting at first.

"We kissed."

Ace blinked, taken back by my bluntness before looking forward over the Grand Line again. "Yeah?"

This time _I_ was taken back. _Yeah? _That's all he could say!

"We _kissed_." I said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world – and it was. Half the Whitebeard Pirates saw it happen. And that's _a lot_ of pirates.

"What are you getting at, Faye?" He seemed uncomfortable under my hard look. I almost pushed him off the ship…

"That's why I haven't been talkin' to ya!" I finally came out with. But after my second of frustration, it turned into pure embarrassment, and I backed away, holding my book in front of me and looking down at my feet like they were the most interesting thing in the world.

And Ace's laugh didn't help.

"That's why you haven't been talking to me?" he asked, even though I had just surely _told_ him that, that was the case. I hit him. Hard. With my fist. In his shoulder. He jumped back, reaching up to rub where I hit him. "Ow, Faye! What was that for, you crazy woman!"

I glared at him, my eyes narrowed and my lips pursed. "Ya're so insensitive!" I yelled, reaching out to hit him with my book instead. He was able to jump back from that one, but he let go of the wheel… and the ship was completely forgotten as he quickly ran from me and my heavy book. The ship was a rocking mess as we played a sick game of cat and mouse. I don't see why he didn't just throw a fireball…

Oh, because if he did and it burned my book, I was surely going to push him overboard and make sure he died a slow and painful death. (I'm sure he knew that.)

Although, we were inevitably stopped by Marco as a crowd of the guys ran up to try and get control of the wheel and rudder. I blushed in embarrassment. Marco glared lazily at the two of us before sighing and running his hand through his odd hair.

"Come on, you two, eh." He ordered in his _I'm-older-than-you-so-shut-up_ tone. I followed, Ace beside me. The whole time, we pushed and nudged at each other, me glaring and Ace grinning his infamous _a-thousand-suns-were-a-candle-compared-him_ smile.

Marco ended up throwing us in a broom closet… a _broom closet_ of all things. So, with his huge muscles (_Mmmmm…) _and my moderately sized chest, we were a little too close for comfort as I glared at him and he grinned sheepishly at me.

"So, uh…" he started, scratching his cheek. "How have you bee-"

His words were interrupted by my lips and I'm sure he didn't mind one bit. And so there we stood – more like Ace stood me clinging onto him like a koala bear – in the broom closet, kissing and groping like a bunch of teenagers. And, of course, that's how Marco found us, half an hour later…

He needed Ace to help with getting into port and letting the anchor down?

I waved my uncle away; I nearly melted when flame boy's lips found their way to my ears… My ears were one of my sensitive spots. Marco frowned and continued to pester us with needing Ace, but I didn't miss the lazy grin on his lips.

"Gawd, Marco, fine!" I pushed Ace away from my neck, already feeling a few busted vessels swelling, and dropped to a standing position on the floor. "Give meh a second ta talk ta 'im?" I requested and he nodded, closing the door. We were alone again …

Ace grinned down at me; his arms wrapped snuggly around my waist.

"I used ta hate ya, ya know?" I started, finding the pattern of freckles on his shoulders interesting.

"No you didn't." I looked up at him in surprise. He just kept grinning. "I saw the way you looked when Mia was flirting with me. You wished I was flirting with _you._"

Was I really that easy to read?

"But then after Smoker and all that, your expressions got harder and harder to read." I gave him a look. "I'm not as stupid as I look, Faye. I only put that on in front of the guys. We all like a good laugh."

I still kept giving him my look, but it faded away when he kissed me again… I could get used to this.

"I'll see you in a little while, Faye," he murmured to me, prying my fingers away from his shoulders as he left me alone in the broom closet. And as I watched him walk away, my eyes zoning in on the large tattoo on his back, I wondered if this was love… or _lust_. In my heart, I held no true appeal for Ace… but in my stomach, where the butterflies liked to practice flying, I knew I wanted him for more than his personality and stupid grin.

Stepping forward to get out, my foot connected with something… Looking down, I found the familiar orange hat he usually went nowhere without, laying on the floor. Bending over, I grabbed it, looking at the few scorch marks and smiled, remembering when I first made it. That color was hell to die into brown leather …

Still smiling, I placed the hat on my head and continued to my bunk, my book under my arm yet again.

But it seemed, at the moment, that I didn't care if it was love or lust. I was living life at the fullest and I had a hot guy to carry around on my arm.

"Faye!"

"Wha'!" I called turning and glaring at the male that called out for me. He smiled with his lazy eyes.

"Don't play with fire, you might get burned."

That earned him my middle finger and a very loud smack on my ass saying _Kiss it_.

_Ha ha, Marco, you're so fucking funny._

**A/N: **Well, I missed Ace's birthday by an hour… Oh well. xD

Happy Christmas, Merry New Year, and everyone pie the Flame boy! It's his birthday. (Yesterday.) :3

This was supposed to be more centered on Marco and Faye, but Ace (the sneaky little bastard) somehow got in there… Oh well. You got some lip action in return. :3

Hopefully I'll have a much better plot-filled chapter in a few days. I don't go back to school until the tenth and I need things to feel my days, right?

Oh! Look at this! Chapter twenty. We're in the twenties, guys! This is the longest story I've ever written! AWESOME. Go me~ :3

Review and get New Years love? :3

_Xoxo. Bri & Faye & Ace & Mia & Anne & Marco & the Whitebeard Pirates._

_PS. If you didn't get the quote, think about this…_

_What came first, the chicken or the egg?_


	22. The Sound of Crushing Dust

**Chapter Twenty-One: The Sound of Crushing Dust**

"_From dust you came and dust you shalt return."_

Hissing to myself as I gritted my teeth and dug my nails into my knees, I looked over my shoulder at the nurse behind me.

"I think tha's enough pokin', don't ya?" I said to her, and she simply frowned before prodding again at the red skin that was still healing around my tattoo. I had seen what it looked like with a mirror, and Whitebeard's nurses were making it seem worse than it was. Finding no more patience in this meeting with the nurse, Nalo I think her name was, I stood and grabbed at my coat.

"Wait! I'm not done—"

"Oh yeah you are," I turned on my heel, hissing at her hair before letting down my hair from the leather strap that held it up and walked out of the nurses' cabin on the deck. Ratch sat off on the far side of the deck, going through another one of his books with a telescope sitting beside him. He had officially taken over the post as land-lubber, or in other words, the guy that locates land when it is in view.

He looked up at hearing my boots click on the wooden floor, and he smiled to me, waving. I waved back, passing back, letting the sun seep into my pores as we, the Whitebeard Pirates and their seamstress, rolled along the current of East Blue.

All was peaceful.

But that peace was broken by a sharp and annoying caw of a seagull. Thatch caught the Daily News that it delivered before opening up the pages. I watched as the seagull disappeared, hoping peace would come back, but it didn't. Instead, a fury of whispers surrounded the paper as it was read with a few eyes. One name did catch my attention though.

_Vice Admiral Callaghan._

I pushed through the crowd, and Thatch saw me instantly. He was one of the few that knew of my heritage to Callaghan Vian, but he couldn't stop me from grabbing the paper and reading it. I read the first sentence. And then the second. And then the third and then –

**No.**

No, it couldn't be it – _I wouldn't allow it to be!_

I gripped the paper tight in my hand and ran. There wasn't far to run to, since the ship was in the middle of the sea, I was an anchor, and I had a throng of very powerful pirates chasing after me.

_This can't be true._

The doors to the mess hall flew open as a crowd of crew members filed out, all laughing and joking like they always did after lunch time. The sunlight no longer felt warm on my face. The throb in my shoulder could never compare to the throb in my heart now. I slammed the paper in front of Marco, interrupting the conversation he was having with Jozu and Ace. He looked up, instantly seeing the tears that I hadn't realized were falling.

_I never thought this day would come._

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

"Hello mother," the old woman spoke softly as she look down at the grave at her feet. She sat silent other than those two words, resting in her wheelchair since her legs no longer wished to cooperate with her old age. Faye held her small notebook in her hands, feeling the pages that had been bent and straighten for her writing, and the number that had yet to be touched.

"I've gotten old, as you can tell."

More silence. The cold winter wind blew without mercy onto Faye's chapped lips, rustling her thinning hair. Even the two thick blankets wrapped tight around her body could not keep the harsh cold out. Behind her stood a shivering young man who was obviously not used to the weather as much as she was.

"I miss you mother."

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

I stood, staring down at the sack lying on the bed, unsure of what to pack. Should I pack a week's worth of clothes, or just a day or two? Should I pack my book and orders, or just a small amount to get me there and back?

_Should I even go?_

That was the number one question that I had never been able to answer correctly to anything else. When I shouldn't have gone, I did. When I did go, I shouldn't have. So many choices in my life have been the wrong one. Would I make another wrong choice? Or would I finally be freed from that stupid curse that has plagued me since I ran from home?

"Faye?" I didn't turn when Ace called to me, I couldn't bear to look at him. Too much was at stack and I wouldn't have him change my mind over some stupid crush that I had on him. "_Flicker _is ready whenever you are."

Ace would be my ride to my mother's funeral. No matter how much Whitebeard trusted me, they couldn't have me be captured. I knew too much about them to be apprehended and tortured for answers. Of course, I would happily take that torture over what I was about to go through.

"I'm ready," I mumbled, not even putting a package of food in my bag before grabbing my jacket and flipping it inside out, the black dark as the sun lowered in the afternoon sky. It reflected as gold on the sea. Marco hugged me, and I weakly wrapped my arms around him. I had cried all I would cry, and that had only been for those first few moments when I realized what had happened.

_Vice Admiral Callaghan Vian's wife has died today due to what doctors are calling heart failure. Her funeral will be held on her home island of Ynis Witrin in North Blue. She has one child, Captain Callaghan Jyrik of the Loyal Marines …_

They hadn't even mentioned me in the article. I was no child to Vian and Lynette. I was a girl without a family – all I had were my pirate of an uncle and the crew that called me _sister_. Marco let me be, and I smiled my best to the crew before being gently let down and onto _Flicker_, Ace's small fire-propelled boat. He had finally named it. I thought it had been cute.

Sitting on the front of the boat, I felt the warmth of flame flickering from his feet warm my back and we set off into the late afternoon of East Blue and headed for North Blue. The ride would take long into the night, and even though we would be exhausted, sleep would not overcome the two of us. Ever since I learned of my mother's death a mere twenty-four hours ago, Ace and I had not held a conversation going over ten words each.

I couldn't bring myself to try and use my infatuation for him to bring back the emotion in our small, growing relationship. With the death of the one person that had been on my side my whole life, my heart began felt … unfixable.

Water splashed on my face, but I did nothing to wipe away the sticky salt water as it made my already weak body weaken more. In fact, I began to doze, and sleep washed over me and—

"FAYE!"

_Splash_.

Water became the world I knew. I looked up, just barely seeing the white light of the moon and the orange flame of Ace's fire as he reached out to grab me. This was it. There was no one to save me. I was sinking faster than ever, and I welcomed it. The death of my mother was the death of me.

Jyrik was truly getting what he wished. I would be mourned by the few of the Whitebeards that knew me personally, but my grave would be at the bottom of East Blue, just miles off the coast of Loguetown, where it all began.

And where it all ended.

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

"You've been visiting an awful lot of graves lately, Ms. Faye," the young pirate said as he rubbed his hands together to cause friction and warm up his body. Faye smiled softly.

"I am simply visiting the people that I must before I join them," she told him, handing him a cup of warm coffee.

"What do you mean, miss?"

Faye smiled, relaxing in her chair as she looked at the fire. "You will meet five people in the afterlife. Each person you have somehow changed their life in inexplicable ways. And after you meet your five people, you will go on to be one of the five people someone meets, and once you've done your job, you simply… go."

He frowned, still not understanding. Faye chuckled. "I'll explain further."

Taking her large leather book from the bag on the back of her chair, Faye opened it to the middle.

"Mia Kelvin was my best friend. Because of me leaving her to go find a pirate, she was killed, thought to have been me."

She turned the page.

"Alastair was the cousin of the woman who did my one and only tattoo. He died knowing he had a friend out in the world somewhere."

Each page she flipped held a picture she had sketched of the person. The third page was a very familiar page.

"Portgas D. Ace," she whispered, and the boy pirate knew that name all too well.

"You knew Fire Fist?" he asked in amazement. He had only heard stories of the great and powerful Fire Fist Ace. Faye chuckled and looked at the boy.

"Knew Ace? I was the one that gave him his signature hat. Made it from scratch. Was a bitch to get that shade of orange."

He continued to look on with awe, before his brow furrowed. "How did you affect his life?"

Faye smiled a true smile. One that shown with a love that she hadn't felt in decades. "We were lovers, silly boy." She flipped another page, this time landing on the smooth, soft sketch of her mother. Put a picture of Faye and Lynette together, and they could be sisters.

"And Callaghan-Emery Lynette. My mother."

The boy frowned yet again. "Your mother?"

Faye looked to him, but no longer smiling. Her face looked grim. "When I ran away from home, it set off a chain reaction of heartbreak and abuse for my mother. She died a horrible death."

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

"I would like to thank you all for coming to my wife's wake."

I sneered at the face that was a mere thirty feet from me. He was the reason for this. He was what caused all my anger and pain.

"He looks so much like Marco," Ace whispered to me from behind. Both of us were hidden by black hoods, but it was reasonable due to the thick snow that fell on the funeral of my mother. We were not suspicious. My father, Vian, continued to drawn on about my mother and how such a wonderful wife she was. She was a wonderful mother, not a wonderful wife.

I didn't cry – there was no need to. My mother was gone, and no matter how much I cried, no matter how much I begged and pleaded with the Almighty above, he would not bring my mother back.

"… I would also like to have this in memory of my beloved daughter, LaFayette."

I looked up in surprised, my breath caught. There was a murmur against the crowd. None had known about me. Vian was going to tell them about me? The horrible, rogue daughter that went against daddy's orders?

"She could not be here today, for she is no longer amongst us either. She was killed a year ago in a pirate raid in Loguetown."

I stood. The chair beneath me scraped against the snow underneath my feet. All eyes were trained on me. Should I simply walk away, or make a scene? If he thought I was dead, there would be no more problems between us. I would be dead to him, and he would be dead to me.

"How dare you show your face!" Jyrik yelled as he stood from his seat, pulling his gun from his holster at his waist.

"Wha? Can't show up to mah own motha's fun'ral?" I called back, ripping the black cloak from my body. Father stood stock still, but Jyrik took his shot. Ace jumped in front of me, easily melting the iron bullet before it did any harm to anyone.

"Fire Fist! Get them!"

And from there, Ace and I found ourselves running to _Flicker_, bullets of kairoseki and iron raining down on us. Ace held up the flank, stopping the bullets before they could hit either of us – but mostly me. This boy – no, this _man_ – was seriously going to take a fucking _kairoseki bullet_ for me.

"So much fo' not makin' a scene!" I yelled over the rush of wind, laughing slightly as we ran even faster. He laughed with me, the sound warming my cold body. My heart … it felt … fixable now.

"Are you going to be okay with this?" he yelled back, pulling me behind an old building, covering my mouth with his hand to silence our loud breathing as the marines chased in the wrong direction. We stood for a few silent minutes, listening for any sign of them coming back. His body warmth was so much warmer than my coats. I kept close to him, letting my breath blend in with the steam of snowflakes burning off his skin.

"I'll be fine," I mumbled in answer, but he heard me. I know he heard me.

Waiting a few more moments, there was no sound other than the sound of snow falling, and even then, our breathing was louder. Ace took my hand, keeping me close as he went in the direction that _Flicker _was docked in. "Try not to fall off this time, okay?" Ace joked playfully, sending me one of his familiar grins. I grinned back, but nodded anyways.

Maybe I could keep living. I had a reason – and he was holding my hand for dear life. I don't know why. We had not really been showing feelings for the other for very long. Only a month at the most. He had saved me countless times now, one time being only twelve hours ago. Had it not been for that rope that he tied to his waist and used to take us back up, I don't think I'd be here at the moment, saying I'm fine when I'm really not.

If it wasn't for Ace, I would have never been reunited with my uncle, or found family in the least likely places. I wouldn't have found hope in such a hopeless place. He was full of surprises.

After all, he was my flame boy.

**A/N:**

You like? 8D

If so, review! If not, review!

Nothing much to say. Another chapter out soon, maybe? :3

_xoxo. Bri_


	23. The Light in His Eyes

**Chapter Twenty-Two: The Light in His Eyes**

"_But I don't know if people are meant to be together. You have to have a lot in common, choose well and be really fortunate. It's not like you're sprinkled with fairy dust. You have to believe that love will be there when you need it."  
- Claire Danes_

"But you've only named four people, Miss Faye."

The old woman looked up from her book, blinking as her old mind tried to wrap around the boy's words. "I'm sorry?" she hadn't quite caught what he said.

"You said there are five people you will meet, but you've only listed four."

The woman blinked again, this time slower, before smiling and chuckling softly to herself. Her lungs wheezed slightly from the harsh cold air and she waved for the boy to roll her back to the fire-lit inn that they were staying at.

"The fifth is the one person you've never met, but have changed their lives so drastically, it could be for the most incredible, best or the absolute worst." The boy stayed quiet as he pushed the old woman through the snow, the work warming his body up just right. "What's your name, darlin'?" Faye asked him, folding her hands in her lap as she watched the soft snow fall.

"Kiru, ma'am," he said in answer. Faye smiled, but said no more, for the light of the inn began to shine in her old, blurry eyes.

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

"Try not to fall off this time, okay, Faye?" Ace teased at me, earning an elbow to the ribs.

"Yeah, yeah. Keep talkin', flame head, and you'll be sleepin' with the fishies."

Ace grinned, rubbing at his side. "And how do you think you'll be getting back to the _Moby Dick_?"

I returned his grin, stopping short. He stopped too. My hands gripped his warm upper biceps, the hardness flexing under my fingers as I lean forward, moving my lips to be right beside his ear.

"I know how ta paddle, Portgas."

"Sure ya do, Callaghan."

Smirking, I pulled my mouth away from his ear and looked at the boy – no, _man_ – in front of me. Had we really come this far in barely even a year? From shopowner and customer to both having mutual feelings for the other … was this how I was supposed to go on with the rest of my life, with Ace at my side? So much had happened in the past year.

I had finally found myself. I wasn't LaFayette from Ynis Witrin that owned from crappy shop. I was Faye, niece of Marco and current significant other of Portgas D. Ace, seamstress that could fix any hole, and the cowardly girl that found her bravery.

"Ace," I started, my hand reaching out for his. His brown eyes looked down, no longer connected to my green, as he watched my fingers intertwine themselves with his. "Thanks."

He grinned, but no longer playful. It was meaningful. His head of messy black hair bounced with a nod.

It wasn't as wild as the first true kiss we had shared – and even that couldn't really be counted as a kiss – but it was simple and magnificent and heartwarming all in one. The snow just seemed to melt into a puddle of lovey-dovey goo.

"What was that for?" I asked, holding back the urge to touch my lips. That tingled with the warmth of his.

"Just felt like it," Ace replied, grinning his boyish grin and pulled me out of the alleyway, and back into the direction of _Flicker_. The snow crunched beneath my boots; it melted under Ace's heat. His hand holding mine was what was keeping me down to the earth at the moment. If it had not been for the weight of his big head, and the lead sinker tugging at the bottom of my heart from the death of my mother, I would be higher than the clouds could ever get.

"Well, dun keep back anymore of those kinda feelings, please!" I joked, bumping shoulders with him as I let go of his hand and took off in a run. "Last one to the boat has to kiss Marco good night!"

I laughed loudly, picking up speed as I heard Ace taking off after me too. His boots thudded and crunched louder than my thin feet did. In just moments, my lips were stinging from the cold wind drying them out, and my lungs wheezed as I coughed on the cold hair. Ace was on my tail, but my thin frame made me faster than his structure of muscle.

"Looks like I'mma win this one Ace—"

I dug my heels into the ground, screeching as I tried to stop before sliding down the icy hill and into the waiting cuffs of the Marines that blocked the way to _Flicker_. "Shit!" I yelled, sliding onto my rear and able to grab onto something to keep from going any farther. I turned onto my stomach to stop Ace, but he had done the same. His warm skin caused the ice to melt and slicken and –

"NO!"

I grabbed at his hand, catching his fingers, but he only dragged me down with him. We went sliding down the hill, being caught into the strong arms of the Marines. On instinct, I shrunk to free myself and scurried out from the throng of buff men. I grew back to normal size, grasping my clothes to my body as I looked over to Ace. They had him face down in the snow, kairoseki cuffs tight around his wrists.

"Ace!" I yelled again, tripping over my feet as I ran to him. They couldn't have him. He was innocent – he did nothing wrong! "Let him go, Jyrik!" I demanded from my brother, but the bastard simply smirked and I was soon captured too, kairoseki making it impossible for me to get away again.

"Fuck you," I hissed, spitting out in his direction. It landed on his boot. Jyrik hissed and shook his boot free, but it had frozen onto the black leather.

"Bitch," he sneered back, bringing the butt of his pistol onto my temple, and a painful throb in my head. My vision was knocked for a few seconds, and soon I was seeing stars. The Marines were dragging me through the snow and to the ship that awaited us, carrying our imprisonment. The pain in my temple was all I felt, other than the warm blood that frozen to the side of my head from the broken skin.

We were thrown into the cells, Ace and I both separated. We looked at each other, trying to figure out a plan.

But this time, we didn't have any tricks up our sleeves.

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

"_FAYE!"_

Splash.

_Water became the world I knew. I looked up, just barely seeing the white light of the moon and the orange flame of Ace's fire as he reached out to grab me. I was sinking faster than ever, and I welcomed it. The death of my mother was the death of me._

_Jyrik was truly getting what he wished. I would be mourned by the few of the Whitebeards that knew me personally, but my grave would be at the bottom of East Blue, just miles off the coast of Loguetown, where it all began._

_And where it all ended._

_But fortunately – or unfortunately? – I could see the outline of Ace diving into the water. He sank down to my depth easily, kicking his feet fast to get to me. My lungs were screaming for air, but my body wouldn't move. The idiot had jumped in after me, knowing there would be no crew member to save us this time._

_His cold lips – they were so cold … I don't think I've ever felt his lips be so cold – touched mine, and he gave me a small blow of air to keep me lasting just a few more seconds. Ace's arm wrapped around my waist and he grabbed onto the rope wrapped around his waist._

_Maybe he wasn't such an idiot after all …_

_He used his free arm to pull us up, the rope keeping us from fully sinking. My lungs screamed for air, and a few exhaled bubbles left my lips. My vision was getting dark, and then we hit the surface, and Ace tossed me on top of _Flicker_. I coughed and gagged and rid my body of the horrid salt water of the sea. Ace sat on the still warm metal of the rotator, gasping for breath._

"_Godamnit, Faye. Stop trying to die on me!"_

"_I'm sorry," I barely choked out, moving to curl up against his chest, feeling the warmth spread through my body. "I'm so sorry for everything, Ace."_

_What was _everything_? I couldn't answer it to myself, but he seemed to know, and simply wrapped his arms around my waist as he leans against the mast of _Flicker_._

_That was good enough for me, and it seemed the same for him._

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

"Faye…"

I moved in my uncomfortable lying position, finding my neck had an annoying kink in it. I had a feeling it was going to hurt for awhile…

"Faye."

I moved more, my eyes squinting even when closed, my ears trying to locate where the voice was coming from. Who was calling out to me?

"Faye. Faye, wake up!"

The voice rang with an echo against stone walls. It was cold, damp, and the room was rocking back and forth. Why was it rocking? Why was it so cold, so damp? Where the hell was I?

… _who_ was I?

"Faye, please, you're bleeding. You gotta wake up!"

Opening my eyes, I raised my head and looked around. My wrists were heavy – bound by some thick grayish-green stone; I felt weak. I was sitting in some type of room, a cell maybe? There were bars made of the same grayish-green stone.

"Oh thank the sea gods, you're awake!"

I looked in the direction of the voice. There was a man, a young man, with freckles and black hair and he wore practically nothing. I wasn't sure what to think of him. In fact, I wasn't sure of what to think of anything.

"Where am I?" I asked, my voice soft, meek even. I was disoriented, and confused, and just plain in the dark. This was all so… new to me. But I felt like I had been in this kind of situation before. I felt sad, but I felt relieved, and scared and – and I couldn't name the other feeling I felt. It made me heart speed up whenever I saw this man; I had seen him before and I know he must have been important. Was that my name he had been calling out, Faye?

The man frowned. "We were captured by your brother, remember, Faye? We're on his ship on the way to the World Government."

My brother? Why would my brother lock me in a stinky cell and take me to the government? Weren't brothers supposed to love and protect you?

Tilting my head, feeling it throb more as I began to think too hard, trying to figure this all out, I took in the man before me. "Who are you?" I asked.

And it was then, at that moment, that I saw the light in his eyes. It was bright, and youthful and an intense burning flame.

Except now, it dimmed until it was dead. Dead like yesterday's time. The light in his eyes had been extinguished with those three simple words; that one question that would change our lives forever.

"I'm Ace," he said softly, almost too soft for me to hear. "And we're in love."

**A/N:**

WHAT IS THIS SORCERY? TWO CHAPTERS IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS? Yes my lovely readers, it's true! It came to my attention that Faye's save from the last chapter was not in depth enough for a few to catch, so I simply used it as a dream/flashback here. I think it fit.

Ah, poor Faye. POOR ACE. Will he ever get a break?

Enjoyed? REVIEW! Hated? REVIEW! Not sure? REVIEW!

I love reviews. :3

Oh. My main inspiration for this was Ellie Goudling's song, "Lights", "Starry Eyes", and Glitch Mob's "Between Two Points". All are amazing songs. Go take a listen?


	24. The Light in the Darkness

**Chapter Twenty-Three: The Light in the Darkness**

"_The sun is gone, but I still have a light."  
-Kurt Cobain_

"'I'm Ace,' he said softly, almost too soft for me to hear. 'And we're in love.'"

Mia swooned like any teenage girl would. "That's so beautiful, grandma."

Faye laughed, nodding in return as she rested in her bed. Mia sat at her feet, Faye's notebook in one hand and a pen in the other. Faye, the poor women, had grown too old to even write her story, but Mia happily rode the ferry to this small island and walked the hill to the home of her grandmother to hear the story and write it for the woman.

"Oh, that is only the beginning of the many loving things your grandfather said to me," she chuckled again, before the laugh became a wheeze in her old lungs, and Mia was up before Faye could grab at the handkerchief to cough into. There were many minutes spent with Faye hacking, Mia rubbing her back with a soft hand and a glass of cool water held out for her grandmother.

Once the coughs calmed and Faye was gasping for breath, she took the glass and sipped it slowly. Mia was waved back to her spot at the foot of the bed. Faye took a few moments to calm herself, before smiling a slightly toothless smile, running her hand through her thin, gray hair.

"Now, where were we?" Faye said, Mia returning her smile.

"You had lost your memory, and Ace had just told you that—"

"That we were in love, yes."

Faye continued to smile, but her eyes closed as she pictured the scene of the two young rebellious children. She felt the slime of the wet stone on her back, and the heavy cuffs on her wrists, and the smell of salt water as it splashed outside the walls. She could feel the warmth of Ace even from across the room, but then the heat began to fade as the kairoseki cuffs sucked his Devil Fruit powers from him …

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

As I sat there, the cell grew colder and colder. My body felt weaker, and my mind was hazy. There was a throb in my temple, and the metallic smell of blood overpowered the scent of the cell. The man, Ace – his words confused me. His expression – it proved that he did care much for me – but love? How could I love someone I didn't know? Or had I known him better than anyone, and something caused my memory to completely leave me?

"We're… in love." I repeated after him, blinking with blurry eyes as I took in the three words. Love. What was love? I knew what it was in my head, in my heart – but what could I possibly _verbally_ explain it as?

"Yeah." It came out as a whoosh of heartbroken air. The light in his eyes was gone.

Confusion, remorse, and sympathy had etched its way in my bones. I was clueless of what to do. This man had told me we were in love, yet here I was, having no clue of who he was. There were small flashes of familiarity when I was thinking of him-

The heat of a flame on my skin. The passion of a kiss of loving lips. The smile that finds its way to a lover's face. The thrum of a beating heart when it knows it's near its other half.

But that was all I felt. Were these what love was? I didn't know, but for some reason, I felt like I did know, deep down.

Yes, those things were what love felt like.

"I'm sorry…" I whisper softly. He doesn't look at me; he can't. I understand why, I suppose.

"No, I'm sorry…" he tells me, finally looking at me. The light that was there has disappeared. "I could have kept this from happening. I should have stopped you from going to your mother's funeral. None of this would have happened."

"Ace," I whisper softly, and the dead look softens into half-dead. Just him hearing me say his name is bringing back the man that I had woken up to. "If this is anyone's fault, it's definitely not yours. If I could remember anything, then I would gladly be cursing whoever's fault this is."

Then the dead look returned. _Crap, I really need to stop bringing that up, huh?_

The wooden door leading into the cell holding area is suddenly thrown open, and in walk three men. Two of which I know I've never seen before, while the other holds some resemblance to a face in the dark corner of the back of my mind.

"I see the two love birds are awake, aye?" The familiar one sneers, farther supporting Ace in his words of 'love'. "Oh?" he starts, looking from Ace to me – me who is Faye and can't get the fact that I have _seen_ him somewhere before. "What's with the long face, Fire Fist? Can't stand being so far away from your lover?"

Ace growls loudly at the man, causing one of the two other strangers to bang against the cell bars with the butt of his rifle.

"And what's this?" he turns to me, his sneer even nastier. "What is with the hazed look in your eyes, little sister? Have you finally realized that I'm going to kill you?"

I gasped. _He's my brother!_ No wonder his face seemed so familiar – yet… _he wants to kill me?_ What kind of sick bastard wants to kill his own sister? Surprisingly, to me, he is sick enough.

"She lost her memory because of you," Ace snaps, getting the bars of his cell hit again and a deep, evil chuckle from my 'brother'.

"Is that so?" he says with mild humor in his voice. "Well then, I might just have to keep her around a little longer. It will be fun to torture such an innocent mind… void of all memories and understanding."

My heart jumps up into my throat just as a large _boom_ echoes over the open sea, and the ship we are on shakes from being hit with something. I soon find out that this 'something' is indeed a cannon ball, and one of the men beside my 'brother' is hit head on by it. He is sent flying back through the open door he came through. The other man scurries out, while my 'brother' looks through the hole created by the cannon, furiously fuming.

He turns to me before storming from the cellar and I hear his boots thud as he stomps up the stairs to the deck of the ship. Ace sits still for a moment before standing up quickly and walking over to the bars of the cell. He peers out into the hole before he grins widely at the glimpse he gets of something.

But the grin doesn't quite reach his eyes – and the light has still faded away…

"Faye!" he calls for me, looking hopeful. Have I remembered anything? No… "Come here. I have a pick in my back pocket. I need you to get it out and get these off of me." He looks weak, almost as if he is suffering from fatigue. What has these cuffs done to him? Why do they call him 'Fire Fist'?

_I feel heat on my lips – it's smooth and soft, but humming with life and passion and love and-_

I blink with surprise, clearing my vision of the fuzzy image that had taken over. He's looking at me hopeful. Slowly, I stand and walk over and lean against the bars. It's a stretch, and my hands feel awkward being shoved through the small space between bars while still cuffed. Ace turns, and my hands brushes against his cool back, feeling the ink embedded in his skin.

_I hear the buzz of the needle – the constant pinch on my back as she digs the ink into my skin, creating the picture I asked for – Mia would be proud-_

Shaking my head, clearing the fuzzy look again, I reach into his deep pocket. I feel the once warm metal against my fingertips and grab at it. Almost as if I'm on some type of automatic process without much conscious thought, I'm wiggling and shoving the pick into the cuff that surround Ace's wrists before there is a click and one of them falls free. He takes the pick and does the other quicker than I, before dropping the cuffs to the floor and simply grabbing onto the bars of his cell. The damp metal melts away, red hot from the heat that comes from nowhere. Ace steps through without much thought.

I'm taken back by the gesture, and take a few steps back in surprise. Ace does the same to the bars of my cell, before walking in and grabbing at my wrists. He does the same to my cuffs as he did to his. Once my wrists are free, the hazy, weak feeling in my head goes away, and I feel my strength beginning to return to me. There is a pounding on my temple, and I rub at it softly before Ace grabs my free hand and pulls me from the cell.

Going to the hole in the side of the ship, I look through, seeing grinning pirate faces of familiar people. They have an opening connecting the two ships by a simple board going from one side to the other.

"Go Faye, I'm right behind you," Ace says, urging me over onto the other side. I'm hesitate, for the subconscious fear of the great water below me keeps me from going across.

"Faye!" I look up, and my face fills out in a sudden grin at the face I know I could never forget. His lopsided blonde hair covers his forehead, and his lazy eyes look at me. I'm moving across the board quickly, but one glance down and I'm stuck still in the middle. The waves are high and shaking my bones and make my heart drop into my stomach.

"_FAYE!" he yells just as I hit the surface of the water – the weight is deafening to my ears – it weighs me down – sinking, sinking, farther and farther down without halt – I'm going to die here, I'm going to drown – he breaks the surface of the water – he is no longer warm – his warmth is gone, gone like the future we could of have had it not been for me stupidly falling into the water and-_

I'm shook from the memory by two warm arms wrapping around me and carrying me the rest of the way. I clutch to the being, closing my eyes as a bright flash and a _bang_ of another cannon shakes the world. Ace is whispering to me that it will be 'alright' and I don't dare let go. It feels right to be in his arms – like this is where I'm supposed to be.

I will never be quite sure of when I got my memory back – of when I remembered all the kisses and the warm embracing and the times just staring into those deep brown eyes in the early morning as he slowly wakes up, looking back into my bright green. I will never be quite sure of how I lost my memory – or what brought back what I had forgotten.

Was it the strong, affectionate hold that I was taken into when Ace picked me up? Or maybe it was the simple words of 'everything is going to be okay' being whispered into my ears. It was a reassurance that I needed.

I'm moved from Ace's arms and into the arms of my uncle. He sets me to my feet, but keeps a tight grip around my waist to make sure my knees won't give out. My head is still pounding, but it could be from the cannons still going off beside me.

"Get her out of here!" Ace yells over the cannons, and Marco gives a stern nod before ushering me from the cannons. The pounding in my temple is still there, but it isn't as bad. I'm brought into a room that smells like chemicals, and the chair I'm sat in feels sterile. A box full of gauze and ointments is put beside me.

Ratch is kneeling in front of me almost immediately, cleaning the cut on my temple with a warm, wet cloth before applying ointment to the spot. I wince at the sting, but slowly, the pain goes into a dull thrum that I come to ignore. Ratch places a small bandage over the spot and wraps a string of gauze around the crown of my head before taping it off and handing me a cup full of herbal tea. I'm forced to drink it, almost gagging it back up, before I'm allowed back onto the deck. By this time, my brother is far behind with a sinking ship.

The _Moby Dick_ is just as I remembered it.

Instantly, I'm in search for Ace. I'm given no real answer to his whereabouts, before I see a flash of orange from the crows' nest. Gathering up the courage, I slowly climb the rope latter until I'm pulling myself up into the small confinement. Ace is sitting opposite to the opening that I climb into. His eye are closed, blocking the warm brown I want to see, as the sea breeze causes his hair to twist in the air. The sun brings out the freckles I have tried counting so many times.

I pull myself up into the small area and find myself straddling his lap. Instantly, I'm met with dull brown eyes. They still haven't found the light again.

"Ace," I say softly, my faked accent dying off. "I miss your warmth."

And with those four simple words, the darkness fades into light. It's like the sun coming out after a week of a nonstop thunderstorm. The earth is warmed and happy and can keep going on.

I can keep going on.

Wrapped up in his arms, Ace doesn't dare let go of me; his words are forever echoing in my head…

_And we're in love…_

**A/N:**

I know, I know. You all probably want to kill me. It's okay. I understand. It has been awhile. Only three more months before the 3rd birthday of my baby! I have a horrible cold at the moment and was thinking about this story earlier today. I've had the beginning written since March, just never got around to finishing it. Here you go!

I know its probably an 'eh' way for her to get her memory back, but I actually did some research! It wasn't true amnesia – just a bonk on the noggin that made her brain stop functioning correctly – like how Ace gets whenever he's around Faye. (bo-dum-shhh).

Loved it? Hated it? Want me? Review! Like! Fave! Send me ideas! (Seriously, I'm in need of some.)

Xoxo. Apples.


	25. The Life of a Tidal Wave

**Chapter Twenty-Four: The Life of a Tidal Wave**

"_I must be a mermaid... I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living."  
― Anaïs Nin_

Leaning against the railing of the _Moby Dick_, I watched as the sea slowly emerged into the same blue as the sky. Beneath the barely floating ship, schools of colorful fish swam by, to and fro, going on about their daily instinct-based lives; almost as if they came by ships every day of their short lives. Remotely, I remember what the water used to feel like on my skin before I ate the stupid Devil Fruit that gave me a useless power.

We've come to a crossroads of the Grand Line – the location where the warm water meets the freezing cold whirlpools, and mixes to make the many currents that will flow, leading ships and pirates in either the right way, or the wrong way. It's a crossroads that I was unsure of until about a week ago.

Standing back up straight, I wince slightly, rubbing at the still healing-cut on my temple. I've had a headache since I woke up, and haven't been able to nap due to the pounding in my head. Even though a good week and a half has passed since Ace and I escaped, yet again, from Jyrik and I regained my lost memory, the knock on my temple still throbs nonstop. Ratch has given me any and everything that could possibly make it stop, but there is still the pain.

"Faye," I hear Ace call from behind me. Turning slowly, I look up at him slightly as he walks over, an evidently worried expression on his face. I know I look as if I'm in pain. I am.

"Is your head still hurting?" With a warm soothing hand, he smoothes my hair back from my face and places two fingers to the cut. I wince, the throb becoming more prominent.

"I was about to go see Ratch," I say, leaning my head against his freckled shoulder and closing my eyes. The sun is momentarily shielded away.

"I got a better idea. Come on," he says, rubbing my back soothingly, before leading me off the deck and to _our_ room. The word doesn't feel quite comfortable on my tongue yet, but I like the sound of it. It's something I could get used to.

Sitting me down on the end of the bed, Ace turns and goes rifling through the drawers and cabinets on his desk. Once finding what he's looking for, Ace comes back over and hands me a small dark blue bottle. "Drink this, it should help," he advises, and I look wearily from it to him before sighing.

"Ace, no offense, but Ratch has given me everything and-"

The bottle is shoved against my lips, cutting off my words. I'm forced to take the liquid, surprised at the slightly sweet taste to it before I give in and swallow it. Moments later, my head is no longer pounding, and my senses are slightly heightened. And then my head, while not hurting, becomes fuzzy.

"Shit, Ace, what was that stuff?" I ask, bobbing back and forth as I blink to clear up my vision. He frowns slightly, putting the bottle in his pocket and sitting down beside me, holding me up so I don't fall.

"You feel okay, Faye?" he asks, and I'm not certain of how to answer.

Gradually, I raise my head up I front of my face and flex my fingers. He looks to them and then back to me. "What is it?"

Slowly, I say, "Ace…" my tongue feels a tingling numb, and I can't keep focused over my words. "I can't feel my fingers."

I wiggle them slowly, again, curling them and touching my palm. Slowly, the numbness spreads to my other hand, and then to my toes, and slowly up my arms to my shoulders. I find myself carried in Ace's arms as he runs for the medic quarters, kicking down the door to reach Ratch.

"Yo, Ratch! Something's up!" Ace yells, but it sounds like a whisper in my clogged ears. I'm laid out onto the small cot in the corner, and Ratch is asking questions, Ace answering them to the best of his ability. I can't feel my tongue now. Ratch does his usual beginnings before flashing a bright light into my eyes. My pupils don't dilate like they should.

"Fuck, Ace, what did you give her?"

He pulls the blue bottle from his pocket and hands it over. Barely seconds later, Ratch is cursing up a storm, from what I can hear, and throwing sharp, medical tools at Ace.

"You idiot! You gave her Somniferum!" Ratch yells, before going to the drawers of the medic quarters and searching through them. I'm laying on the bed, and I feel an unknown weight on my chest. I can't breathe. Why can't I breathe?

"Fuck, Ace! Sit her up! Help her keep breathing! We've got to flush it out of her system…" Ratch goes running around the room as Ace goes hurriedly to my side. Once I'm sat up, I can feel the pressure be lifted off my chest, slightly, but I still feel extremely numb. Ratch continues to mumble to himself, Ace cursing himself under his breath as he rubs my back. I can barely fill the pressure on my spine.

"God damn, Ace. How can you be such an idiot to give her _Somniferum_? That stuff kills more than it heals…"

The thought of death doesn't quite hit me until Ace starts to worry profusely as well. He's apologizing, his freckled face turning a slight shade of white. His natural tan disappears and his freckles become almost invisible. Suddenly, my throat closes up, and I'm not relatively certain  
what will happen after that.

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

Faye was brought into another coughing fit, and this one literally took her breath away. Mia rushed over to rub and pat her grandmother's back, holding up a cup of fresh herbal tea that would ease Faye's cough.

"Grandma, please, drink this, it will help you feel better."

Faye waves away the cup, but Mia is persistent and leaves it in reach of her grandmother. Pulling the cough rag from her mouth, Faye hides the droplets of scarlet that were sprayed on the scrap piece of cloth just moments ago. Everyday seems like the last day for Faye, but something holds her down. Something anchors her to the ground, like a lead weight that is chained to her ankles.

Soon, though, it will be a wood box that will anchor her to this world.

"No, my dear, I'm fine. Just give me a moment to catch my breath," her voice cracks in the middle and her breath is wheezy, but she continues to speak.

Mia says nothing, but keeps a close eye on the elder woman. Her mother, Anne, sits just outside on the top of the hill, watching Acel as he runs around, swinging a pair of wooden swords around as he wears a bright orange hat.

"Are you ready to write again?" Faye asks the young woman, and Mia smiles half-heartedly.

"I should be the one asking _you_ that."

Faye chuckles throatily before waving her hand, and Mia presses the pen to the small black notebook.

"Your grandfather had given me Somniferum…"

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

I awoke with no more pain in my head and the weight lifted from my chest. My breathing was still a bit wheezy due to the raw burn of my throat. Hovering above me was Ratch, Ace, and a face that I had never seen before now. His eyes are a glowing blue, like they were the finest sapphires picked from the bottom of the deepest sea. His hair was made of threads of sunlight – or that's how I say it in my eyes as I continued to awake.

"She's awake. My work is done." He stands, showing off his lean body and heavily tattooed chest. There's a certain aura around him that I don't trust very much. "Sunset is upon us. We must be going."

Sitting up, going against the hands and words of Ace and Ratch, I watch as he walks away and to the stairs that go to Whitebeard's quarters. He disappears behind the doors.

I look to Ace, and the look on his face seems guilty. Serves him right for giving me that Somniferum-shit. "How do you feel, Faye?" he asks, presses a warm head to my forehead and looking me straight in the eye. I'm surprised by just how worried he seems.

"Wouldn't mind some food," I tell him, and the guilty look he wears disappears into a grin.

"I'm sure we can get you something." He holds out a hand and helps me off the makeshift bed – three crates pushed together against the mast of the ship. My eyes fall upon the closed doors of Whitebeard's quarters. With all the noise on deck, I can't even make out their voices talking. Are they even talking?

"Who's he?" I ask, and Ace's grin falls slightly. My eyes keep on his face now.

"Lorenzo, is his name," Ratch tells me. My eyes stay on Ace's face. "He showed up out of thin air on a dingy with no paddle, saying he had a cure for you. Five minutes later, you wake up and here we are."

"I don't trust him," I say, and Ace grumbles in agreement. I look at Ratch, momentarily taking my eyes off Ace's expression. "What did he mean by 'we must be going'?"

Ratch's eyes lit up, and Ace sits back beside me, grumbling under his breath.

"He knows a way to the City of Gold," Ratch tells me. One of my eyebrows lifts up to my hair line.

"The City of Gold?" I repeat, and find myself realizing that the ship is going in the opposite direction than what I remember. "I find it very funny how he shows up, out of thin air, with a cure to an almost-incurable thing, with a map to the City of Gold. The place even harder to find than Roger's One Piece."

"He doesn't have a map," Ace says suddenly. Confusion riddles my face.

"Huh?" I question verbally, mentally trying to figure out how this man has a way to the City of Gold without a map.

Ace nods his head toward the railing of the ship. His look is grim; he isn't very happy.

"Oh, Faye, I bet you haven't seen one of her yet!" Ratch says before excitedly leaning over the railing to look down at the waters. I do the same, and look down the side of the ship until I get to the ripples that are made from the ship breaking the surface of the water. They're silver with a tint of orange from the sunset.

And then I see it.

Her head breaks the surface every few minutes, showing off the mess of wet dark brown curls. Her skin is just a few shades lighter. White pearls twinkle from around her wrists and neck. And then there are the scales. They're shades of gold and sunset mixed into a gorgeous picture. The water brings out the flicks of gold in her tail. The caudal fin is a transparent, wispy pale peach that flicks as she swims.

I can barely believe what exactly I'm seeing.

There's a mermaid. She's swimming. Beside the _Moby Dick_. There's a mermaid.

A _mermaid_.

"He's friends with a mermaid?" I asks, my voice low and quiet. I still don't quite believe what I'm seeing.

"Not quite," Marco says as he comes up behind me. I turn to look at him. The surprise is still written on my face. "He's a witch. He has a spell over her. It keeps her from escaping. All mermaids know the way to Atlantis."

I feel like I'm going to faint. _City of Gold? Atlantis? Mermaids? What the hell is going on! How long was I out?_

I grab at my head. There's an overload of information that is taking awhile to process in my hazy head.

"She's a mermaid. And she's his prisoner to guide him – er, us – to the City of Gold." I start, slowly getting all this in my head. "And you're okay with that?"

Ratch is too mesmerized by the mermaid to answer. Ace gives me this look saying that he isn't pleased with this at all. Marco can't look me in the eye.

"I know her," my uncle says. I sent him a look, telling him to continue if he pleases. "Her name is Siren… we met years ago. I didn't even realize it was her until Lorenzo told Pops and me her name."

"And he's okay with this?" I ask, and am answered with a 'no'. I'm glad of this, but I know what Whitebeard is thinking. "But he still wants to find Atlantis." Marco gives a 'yes'. I'm not entirely alright with this, and I'm already starting to think of a plan on freeing the poor creature – woman – er… mermaid.

'Well… this is going to be interesting," I mumble, looking over at Ace and Marco. Lorenzo comes walking out of Whitebeard's quarters. He carries a large black leather book under his arms. I catch the bright gold leaf that is imprinted on the front and the spine.

Lorenzo, meet Faye. She's going to make your life like a tidal wave –

Slowly, suspenseful in the beginning, never knowing when it's going to hit; and when it does, there's going too much damage to recover from.

**A/N:**

Well, well, well… It seems I've FINALLY updated. BTW – Siren belongs to my friend, Eli. I'm using her with Eli's permission. Ready for the next chapter? Atlantis here we come! :D

_apples. _


	26. The Magician of Maverick

**Chapter Twenty-Five: The Magician of Maverick**

"_The first magic of love is our ignorance that it can never end."__  
__Benjamin Disraeli_

Ace and I sat on the deck of the _Moby Dick_, watching the crew as they moved back and forth – like the sea under the ship as it sails to the horizon. But there was no wind today. It was a smooth, true blue-water day. The sun reflected off certain waves and troughs and peaks, shining against the wood. The deck was filled with the usual chatter of the crew and I didn't take my eyes off of Lorenzo.

His white blonde hair stares violently back at me. His eyes, which seem darker than the bright sapphire blue that I remember from first waking up, read over the black leather book he has in his hands. Almost as if reading my mind – which I wouldn't put past him – he looks up from the book and stares at me with a blank, yet stern, stare. I drop my eyes to the hand that is wrapped around mine; my mind goes vacant as I count the freckles on Ace's knuckles.

When I feel Lorenzo's eyes off me, I look up again, but he has disappeared from his position on the deck. My eyes fall to all the faces on deck; I find Lorenzo at the railing directly across from Ace and me. He's leaning over it slightly; there's a thin, black device in his right hand, and his book is under his left arm.

Suddenly, a rope ladder starts to rise from the deck floor and hover over the railing before falling down, down, down to the sea waves below. I watch intently.

"Ace," I whisper, grabbing the freckled-man's attention almost immediately. He's half asleep in an afternoon nap, his hat already covering half of his face. He mumbles to me, asking why I awoke him. "Look," I say, pointing to the levitating rope and Lorenzo. Slowly, Ace starts to realize what's going on.

Magic.

However, as soon as the ladder hits the water, it starts to rise again – slowly, as if pulling someone up over the edge –

I see a flash of gold scales coming over the railing. The mermaid – Siren, I believe her name is – plops down onto the deck. The sunset orange and yellow gold flickers the same brightness of the sun. Everyone has stopped what they were doing. Her dark hair is in a mess of wavy curls that frame her face and fall to her waist. Lorenzo taps his utensil to her bare shoulder.

The golden scales fade with a white mist into tan skin, revealing a pair of long, naked legs. A flimsy white sheet is thrown over her bottom half. She halfheartedly moves to wrap it around her waist and stand. There are a few shaky steps at first before she's following step for step behind Lorenzo. Her eyes are droopy with fatigue and hopelessness. _How long as she been his prisoner_?

They disappear into the cooling quarters of the mess hall.

"Did you see that?" Ace asks me, bringing his fists up to rub at his sleep-filled eyes. I nod and ask the same. "Yeah," he replies with a breathy voice before leaning his head onto my shoulder and beginning to doze off. I ease him off my shoulder, letting him use my satchel as a pillow, before jumping down from the crate and following Lorenzo farther into the ship. Marco looks up from his position beside Whitebeard on the quarter deck.

I'm cautious as I follow Lorenzo and his captive, I watch as they walk into the small quarters Pops has given them before he comes out and walks back onto deck. Waiting a few moments to make sure he doesn't come back, I then walk up to the door to his quarters and turn the door handle. With barely a crack between the door and the frame, I peek in.

Lorenzo's mermaid is sitting at a desk in his quarters, staring at a large map spread out over the desk. A thin, tan finger slides over the indentations of coastlines and latitude-longitude markings. Pushing the door open just a tad bit more, there was a creak from the hinges, causing the mermaid-turned-human to spin in the stool and stood up on her newly acquired legs.

"Who are you?" she asked with slight worry in her voice, but the fatigue was evident on her face, and the droop in her eyes brought out the dark circles even more.

"When was the last time you rested?" I asked, stepping into the room and closing the door.

"You did not answer my question," she stated firmly, not weaning from the intent on figuring out who I am.

"I'm Faye. You're Siren, right?" She hesitates before nodding. I step closer to the desk, and she takes half a step back, the back of her legs hitting the side of the desk. Her hands reach back, looking for something to defend herself with something.

"I'm not going to hurt you!" I tell her, raising my hands up in a defensive manner, waiting to take another step. Her hands stop searching, and after a few moments of her ears picking out my words, looking for any falseness in them. Finally, she steps away from the desk, but keeps her hands fisted behind her back.

"What do you want?" she asks, suspicious of me.

"When was the last time you rested?" I asked, stepping to the side; farther from the bed and closer to the desk.

"Three days ago," Siren tells me nonchalantly, before turning and stepping away from me. I stare at her in disbelief.

"Three days? I can barely go a full day without a nap."

"The sea water keeps me energized, but after three days I get my usual small rest before Lorenzo has me guide."

"And you're showing us to Atlantis? A City of Gold?"

"I would not like to..." she tells me, but I can tell she didn't mean to. Siren continues, "but He has complete control of my actions. I am simply a puppet to him."

"And it's a spell, right? He's a witch." She nods. "Why don't you just look for a curse-breaker? Then won't you be free?"

"Of course, he's the Magician of Maverick; one of the most skilled Witches from that section of Witch Country. He keeps a tight chain on me. You're the first person to talk to me without him being in the room for the past two years."

"What!" I exclaim, in disbelief that such a thing was possible. She nods; her arms relaxing behind her back. I can see the faint glint of a letter-opener in her hands. "That must be horrible."

"It is not much of a difference from my actual life before he captured me. I only had contact with one person in my life, except back then I was able to swim where I wished."

I'm left speechless. What was I supposed to say in a moment like this? _Oh, sorry about that, seems like you're out of luck. Bye!_

"What about the curse-breaker?" I ask, fully intent on freeing Siren from the spell. She simply shrugs, setting the letter-opener back on the desk and sitting down.

"I simply know there is one, not what it is. Only Lorenzo knows the breaker."

There's a moment that I stare at her, taking in the tired beauty. She should live more than this.

"Well, I guess that means I need to go to Witch Country and find the curse-breaker."

The expression on Siren's face is of surprise and disbelief.

"You're going to do what?" She asks me, leaning closer to me slightly.

"I'm going to Witch Country to find the curse-breaker," I repeat, more confident now, and leave the room. Siren is not far behind me.

"Do not be idiotic, Faye! Only Witches can go to Witch Country!"

"Watch me," I simply say and step out onto the deck. Siren does not follow me there, but there are plenty of eyes that fall on my reappearing form. Lorenzo was one of them. I ignored his eyes, even though the bright blue burned the skin on my neck furiously.

Walking up to Marco and Ace, who were chatting quietly to one another, I quickly interrupted their conversation and voiced a lie that I made up as the words left my mouth.

"I need more fabric, Marco."

My uncle raises a thin eyebrow up to his hairline.

"Is that so, eh?"

"Yup," I reply quickly. "I need to go get some more. Very soon."

"Well, we'll be at an island in two days time. You can wait until then."

"No," I say firmly. Ace stands back, surprised by the tone I speak with. "I need a special kind of fabric, and I can only get it from a certain island."

"And you need this special fabric because…?"

I'm starting to hesitate as I speak, and he knows I'm lying, but I have to continue putting up a façade in front of Lorenzo.

"The Nurses are in need of new uniforms. It's getting colder and colder, and those scraps for dresses they call dresses isn't enough."

"And this fabric will keep them warm, eh?" He asks, brow still raised, arms crossed over his chest. I felt like a child again, being questioned by my father over who broke the flower vase that mother always had positioned on the mantle of the fireplace. And while it was Jyrik's fault, I was still punished because of my convincing nature. I was never a very good liar.

Marco sighs and nods, finally. "Fine, fine, you can go get this special fabric. Take Ace with you, though, alright? We'll keep your posted on our position as much as we can. Do you know how long this quest for fabric is going to take you?"

"Five days to there, five days back, with three days in between for rest and buying."

"Thirteen days," he sums up. Pointing a finger, Marco sternly says, "And not a day more. On the morning of the fourteenth day if you aren't back I'm sending out a search party. Atlantis can wait." I say nothing. "Do you understand me, eh, Faye?"

"Yes'sir!" I mock-salute Marco before grabbing Ace's shoulder; pulling him in the direction of our quarters, I keep my true plan to myself until we're off the _Moby Dick_ and out at sea. Ace simply packs a small bag of one change of clothes, a few provisions, and his few handheld weapons. I take a much bigger bag, with more clothes, and my book of maps.

It's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

After bags are packed, and another bag full of food and Beli for the trip is added into the equation, I'm saying goodbye to Marco, Thatch, and Pops, before Ace helps lower me down into _Flicker_. The bags are placed in a compartment put in a few weeks ago in case of trips like these. I place the bags out of the way and then prop up the seat back. Leaning against it, I wave up to the crew.

From far on the other side of the railing, I can see Siren with a slightly worried expression. From far away, the fatigue does not look as horrible as it had been when I was face to face with her earlier. Lorenzo is soon at Siren's side and pulling her from the railing and out of sight. The mess of wavy dark curls is the last thing I see before Ace fires up _Flicker_ and begins the descent into the western horizon of the Calm Belt. I can already feel the currant of the waters become less and less until it is only Flicker making any movement on the surface.

The _Moby Dick_ is far from sight.

"Go east," I tell Ace. The engine sputters from Ace's confusion.

"What? Why? I thought the island was to the west?"

"It is, but we're not going to the island. We're going to Witch Country. Now go east." The small transportation device slows to a float.

"Witch Country? Why are we going to Witch Country- No! I know what you're doing, Faye. We are not going to Witch Country to find some spell to use against that Loserno-guy. If he wants to enslave a mermaid, let him. He saved your life and is showing us the way to Atlantis. The least we could do is let him be."

I stare at Ace in disbelief. "You're just going to sit back and let him destroy Siren's life?"

Ace says nothing, and I'm taken back by the silence. I'm not quite sure how to deal with the problem now. There isn't much I can do. We're out in the middle of the Calm Belt with Sea Kings stirring the waters beneath us. I want to go to Witch Country – find a spell to free Siren. Ace wants nothing to do with them and continue onto the nonexistent island with the winter-weather-ready fabric that I, seemingly, need for the nurses.

Could I love a man that didn't agree with me on certain views like this?

I wasn't sure of how to answer that question.

But no matter what, I needed to get to Witch Country – with Ace or not.

**A/N:**

Happy 3rd birthday, oMaM! :D

And Merry Early End-Of-the-World/Christmas to all my readers! (this is only in celebration in hitting 30k readers!)

Let's try and get 200 reviews by Christmas, yeah? I'm hoping to have another update around that time. I'm feeling inspired. And guess what? We're barely even half way done with the story! YAY!

Love it? Have ideas? Hate it? Want me to hurry up and update again? Wanna express your dislike for fillers? REVIEW!

_Apples. _


	27. The Seventh Slave

**Chapter Twenty-Six: The Seventh Slave**

_Slaves are generally expected to sing as well as to work.  
Frederick Douglass_

"This is her?" The Witch asks, sitting in his velvet high-back chair. Just before entering the room, I was told not to look him in the eye if I wished to see the sun again. I kept my head done, green eyes fixed on the marble floor.

"Yes, sir. The seventh slave."

There is a draft in the room that causes me to shiver. Goose flesh rises on my skin. I'm used to me thick coat and pants, instead of this scantily-designed outfit that I was forced into. The deep slits up the side of the skirt end at the belt that keep the pieces of fabric hanging on my hips, and the top leaves nothing to the imagination. The scar that had once rest from my left hip to my right shoulder has disappeared.

I'm not sure of where it has gone, but the tattoo on my shoulder blade is permanently embedded for all to see.

"And her name?" The Witch asks for, addressing the man that has me in chains, but I can feel his eyes on me. They burn my skin, but the bumps caused by the shivers I got from the draft seem to push off the effects for now.

"Faye, sir. Shall I take her down below?"

"No."

The man that has me chained is obviously surprised, but says nothing. The Witch adds on, "Leave her here. Give me the chain."

The chain connected to the neck restraint I'm wearing is tugged, and I stumble forward. There's a deep chuckle from the Witch. He whispers something under his breath, and I barely catch it, but the words cause another shiver – this one of disgust – to roll down my spine.

I'm pulled until I'm standing before the velvet high-back chair. My eyes are targeted to look at his shoes – black leather, expert stitching, with a shiny polish on the highest-rounding tip.

"Your name is Faye, correct?" he asks me, just as the other man leaves the room. When I don't answer, the chain is pulled roughly.

"Yes," I answer, my voice cracking from the pressure on my neck.

"And what was your occupation before being found by Kingsley?"

I hesitate, not sure exactly what he means. He pulls the chain again. "Seamstress," I tell him, and he hums under his breath.

"You have been a seamstress for long, Faye?"

I shake my head. The more he pulls the chain, the less I can breathe. It's best if I answer right after he asks. "No, sir. Three years at the most."

He hums again, almost as if thinking over his options, before the chain goes lax.

"Come, my dear, Faye, sit beside me."

He motions for the cushion beside his chair. I move to kneel on it, still staring at the floor. The Witch's fingers move from the chain to my hair – I'm like his pet. He runs his fingers through my hair, playing with a curl absentmindedly when he gets to the end of a strand. For a good five minutes, I wonder to myself just what, exactly, I've gotten myself into.

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

_Four Days Earlier_

The first island we came across that wasn't riddled with Marines, Ace docked _Flicker_ and dragged us to an inn. The first one we came across, which was only a few buildings from the dockyard, was paid for and we were given the key. Now, as I waited for him to go cool off, I thought of a plan on how exactly I was going to get to Witch Country. I knew it was in the East, but how exactly was I going to get there? I had figured for myself that only Witches would be able to find Witch Country, but I wasn't a Witch. And neither was Ace. The only probable solution was to kidnap a Witch.

But did I see any Witches walking down the street? Nope; so that plan just won't work.

Just as I try to figure out another plan, Ace walks into the inn room. He wears a calm express, but the look in his eyes is fierce. I look away from him, unable to stand the expression that breaks my soul.

"Faye," he says softly, catching my attention. I don't look up though. Ace sits beside me on the bed and takes my hand in his. "Faye, I'm sorry for yelling at you. I just can't stand to see you put yourself in that kind of danger. You remember when we were arrested and your brother went on and on about wanting to kill you?"

That memory stabs me in the heart hard, and the knife has harpooned itself under the muscle.

"The way he had his hands around your neck, wishing to squeeze out your last breath… Something in me broke then, and I never want to see you in that situation ever again. Do you understand that?"

I don't answer. I can feel the room getting warmer. He's still mad at me.

"Did you even hear a single word I just said?" he bellows, letting go of my hand and standing from beside me. He storms into the washroom, and slams the door behind me. I can hear the water running, and I know he's bathing now. While I'm not proud of my reckless behavior, I have to find a way to save Siren. If I was in her position, someone would do the same.

And then there was my plan. If I couldn't kidnap a Witch, then what's the next best thing?

A Witch kidnapping me…

When I've fully thought out my plan, Ace has finished his shower and walked out with a towel wrapped around his freckled hips, carrying his shorts and hat in one hand. He won't look at me, and I don't blame him. I step into the washroom, the steam of the hot water still floating in the air.

As I bathe the smell of saltwater off of my skin, my mind continues to go over the plan and perfect it until nothing can absolutely go wrong.

If something goes wrong, then I may not be able to save Siren, let alone myself.

I walk out of the washroom, my hair up in the towel with only a night-shirt covering my body. However, when I walk out, I'm thoroughly surprised by the candle light that fills the room. Ace stands in the middle of the room, grinning like a maniac at me. In his hand, Ace holds out a bouquet of freshly picked wild-flowers.

This is the first truly romantic notion I've ever been given, and I'm not quite sure of how to deal with it.

"Um… Ace?"

His grin widens and he steps forward.

"We've known each other for two years. We've been together, officially, for six months. Shouldn't you be jumping on me, already?"

I continue to stand in the doorway of the washroom. The candlelight makes his eyes look lighter than they really are. The freckles seem to blend into his skin in the dark. He doesn't look like my Ace. He looks like someone else. And then his words ring in my head:

_Something in me broke, and I never want to see you in that situation ever again._

Ace had changed, but I believed it was for the better.

I took the flowers from him and tossed them onto the nearby desk. Ace's expression changed slightly. He couldn't read my face, couldn't see the guilt I felt growing in the pit of my stomach. I was about to purposefully put myself in that situation again, and the hurt that I was going to cause Ace was almost too much to bear.

But I had to do it. Who else would?

Slowly, almost as if I was afraid he would be able to read my mind with a single touch, I placed a hand on his freckled cheek and smiled. "Thank you," I told him, before whispering a soft, "I love you."

He whispered it back, and while my heart broke from me having to hurt him with my impulsive plan, my soul blossomed with the passion that he filled me with that night. I would come back to Ace. I had to. If I didn't, I wasn't sure if I could live without him.

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

_Present_

After the Witch had gone to bed, I was lead from the marble-floored room and into a side chamber with six other girls. One was being embraced by two others as she sobbed pitifully. The three others were huddled around a bed, heads together as they planned an escape. Kingsley, the Witch that had captured me, pushed me into the room and slammed the door behind me.

All six looked up, surprised at the sight of me.

"Did they just get you?" One asked me. Her honey-blonde hair fell in straight strands down to her shoulders. I shook my head.

"I've been here since this morning. I've been at the Witch's side all day."

They stare in disbelief.

"Did you do something to upset him?" Another asks. Her dark hair and dark skin are a definite change of scenery. I shake my head again.

"I kept my head down. I spoke only when spoken to. He kept me on a pillow beside him the whole day. I was only allowed to stand when he finally left for bed. I was brought in here."

"You're the seventh slave. That's why," an eerie voice states from the sobbing girl's side; looks of confusion fall on many faces. "Every seventh slave is picked as his favorite. Seven holds much symbol in the Witch culture. He believes you are his lucky charm, to put it simply."

Although still confused on why the Witch would think that, I say nothing and sit on the bed not yet touched.

"What's your name, seventh slave?" the honey blonde asks me.

"Faye Callaghan," I state, introducing myself to the six other girls. One by one, except in the case of the crying girl, I am told their names.

Mona. Hama. Kurie. Vevan. Luloia. Beatrice.

"Why is she crying?" I ask Hama, the dark skinned girl that has a bed beside me. Her expression is grim.

"Vevan just found out she was pregnant today, and she overheard one of the Witches saying that they can't have a pregnant slave…"

With an extreme look of horror, my stomach begins to hurt. I feel too sick to even reply. Standing up, I walk over to the sniffling girl, her cries finally calming down into tired wheezes of sadness. I take Luloia's place on Vevan's right. My hand rubs soothing circles in her back.

"It's going to be okay," I tell her. I'm sure she has heard it a thousand times from Luloia and Kurie, but for some reason, whether it has been exhaustion or the need for some hope, Vevan tells me she believes me. What have I just gotten myself into?

The next morning, I'm awoken before the other girls. Kingsley stands hovering over my bed, arms folded over his chest. He commands me to get up before going to the other girls. I rub the sleep from my eyes and slowly rise. Vevan looks worse now than she did in the morning. It is then, as they all rise from bed, that I realize the difference in our outfits. The bits of fabric I wear make the draft in the room even more evident. The others are wearing dresses, none of them as revealing as mine.

The six girls are lead from the room by another man dressed in a strange suit before Kingsley grabs my upper arm and pulls me from the room. I go in the opposite direction of the other ones. "I don't know see how he found such a fascination in you," Kingsley mumbles under his breath. "You're not all that pretty and that horrible scar on you sickens my stomach."

My hand comes up and touched the skin on my stomach where my scar should be. I can feel the bumpy, smooth scar tissue, but when I look down, it is just tan skin that I find. No blemishes or scars. Just skin. But it's not my skin.

Kingsley leads me into the throne room, as I have dubbed it. The Witch sits in his velvet chair yet again, a goblet of wine in one hand and his other free to wave back and forth as servants stand around him holding plates of food and bottles of wine.

"Come, my sweet Faye. Sit with me again."

This time, I do look him in the eye. I noticed the different colors – one was a light brown and the other was a dark blue-gray, but his grin was hideous. There was malice in his voice that I hadn't caught last night, and the sickening feeling I felt in the pit of my stomach grew and grew until my heart got caught in my throat.

"Hello, my beautiful charm. Did you sleep well?"

I didn't answer. I hadn't slept well, in fact. My dreams were laced with the frantic Ace. If I had to watch anymore of it, I would have gone insane.

My hair is yanked roughly, causing me to look back up at the Witch. He glares angrily at me. "I asked you a question, slave."

"I slept wonderfully, sir."

These words seem to do well enough for now. He releases my hair and continues to drink his wine and eat the exotic foods fed to him. For the rest of the day I sat at his side, my eyes drilling into the elegantly painted and designed walls. Sometime during the late afternoon, however, Kingsley entered the throne room and came up to the Witch.

"May I have the key, sir?" Kingsley asks and the Witch continues to drink his wine and eat his foods.

"Which key?" he asks nonchalantly, but Kingsley's reply causes him to stop his drinking and eating.

"_The_ key, sir."

My ears perk up at this, but I show no outwards motion that I heard. From underneath his silk shirt, the Witch pulls out a simple copper key. Unlatching the thin chain from around his neck, the Witch hands _the_ key over to Kingsley.

"Are we not on the correct path?" the Witch asks as he places the key in Kingsley's hand.

"Jura predicts a storm later tonight. The Captain wishes to go around it. This will save us much time."

"Understood." The Witch waves Kingsley away and he leaves. I hold back my question before gathering the Witch's attention.

"Sir?" I speak softly, biting my tongue when my heart tells my brain to shrink and run away. I can't dare leave the six others now, not after what I learned about Vevan. The Witch looks down at me.

"Yes, my beautiful charm?" I look from the wall to his face. He sips his wine.

"Where are we going, if I may ask?"

The Witch chuckles and places his wine goblet off to the side.

"We are going to my home country, Faye. Witch Country, to be exact."

I nod. The best act to play is the innocent façade.

"And how to we get to Witch Country?"

There's another chuckle. "My, my, such a curious little charm, aren't you?" He rhetorically asks, patting my head and waving for the servant nearest to him to bring over a bowl full of apples and grapes. He takes a bright red apple and hands it to me. "There is a special Log Pose Witches must use to arrive in Witch Country by ship. The Log Pose is powered by our magical abilities."

I'm glad to hear we're headed to Witch Country, but five days of my thirteen have already been used. I don't know how much longer we have until we get to Witch Country, and knowing Ace, he has already found the Whitebeards and sent out a search party. Even when I do arrive in Witch Country, I won't know where to start looking for a curse-breaker. I should have thought this out a bit better.

"Good night, my beautiful charm," the Witch tells me, running his fingers through my hair before Kingsley returns and takes me back to the chamber room with the others. Vevan is in the corner, shaking like a life as she stares lifelessly at everything. I walk over to Mona.

"I'm going to need your help with something," I tell her. She raises a brow. "I have to escape from this ship the moment we land in Witch Country, and I want to free you all, too. But I need your help."

"Whatever we can do, we'll help," Beatrice says, butting into the conversation I am having with Mona. I smile and nod at her.

"What do we have to do?" Mona asks, and the others slowly slink over to listen.

"I need a distraction. Any type of distraction. I ate a Devil's Fruit, and I have the power to shrink myself. Once I've gotten away and found what I need, I'll come back to save you all."

Luloia looks reluctant at first, before turning to the still fearful looking Vevan.

"I'll do anything to keep Vevan safe," she says, and I know I've gotten the rest of the girls just off those seven words."

"We should be docking in two days," I'm told, and I nod. Two more days of endless thought to be spent on a plan. Hopefully this next one will learn out better than the last. "Oh, and Faye?" I look up. Hama stares at me with dark eyes. "If you're lying to us, I will personally come find you, and cut out your tongue."

The threat isn't empty. I can see the fire in Hama's eyes.

"I would never lie about something like this."

"Let's just hope you can keep that statement as a truth," she comments before going to her bed and lied down, facing away from me.

That night, I got no sleep; from the fear of seeing Ace in my dreams again and the threat made by Hama, I'm begging for some silent peace.

"Faye?" I hear Vevan whisper. She's at the end of my bed. "I heard fairies have divine voices. Will you sing me a lullaby?"

My heart pangs with sadness. "I can't sing, Vevan. I'm sorry." She smiles sadly and nods.

"Then, may I sleep with you?"

I move from the middle of the bed and over to one side. Vevan crawls under the covers and we share a pillow. Just as I'm falling asleep I swear I hear Vevan say,

"You're nothing like your brother."

However, when Jyrik enters my dreams, I place those words as part of that nightmare. I never saw the ring or realized that Vevan's last name was Callaghan, too…

**A/N:**

To all those that might how caught the Princess Leia reference at the beginning (the slave scene~), go you! To all those that didn't but now see it, go you! To all those that have no idea who Princess Leia is – you need Star Wars in your life.

Yay another update!

In response to a review that I had received: If Faye simply killed Lorenzo, then where's the fun in all that?

This chapter is much longer than my last couple chapters. But it has important information! Do you see all of it between the lines? Next chapter should be out sometime soon. I'm feeling inspired. :D

(but I shouldn't say that, because when I do say that, it takes me three-four months to update again…)

_Apples_.


	28. The Academy of Magic

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Academy of Magic**

_A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad. _  
_Theodore Roosevelt_

The next two days went by dreadfully slow. The entirety of my days were spent at the Witch's side, him running his fingers through my hair like I was a pet of his, or curiously asking questions when we were alone.

"Are Witches the only people with magical abilities?" I would ask, and he would chuckle and pat my head. I really was nothing but a pet to him; it made my stomach churn with disgust.

"My, my, what is with all these questions today, my charm? I suppose I could answer just a few more…" His finger wraps one of my curls around it. The draft is still there, and his hands only make the shiver worse. "No, my sweet Faye, Witches are not the only people with magical abilities. Everyone has some amount of magic in them – some more than others.

"For example, those that have eaten a Devil Fruit," my ears perk up at this. "The Devil Fruit is simply a branch-off from an original Witch experiment. Generations ago, a Witch by the name of Giannini tried to put his magical abilities into fruit so that he could sell them to the highest bidder for a lofty profit. It worked, but one buyer used the seed of his fruit and planted a tree. From there, the Devil's Fruit was created. Only one fruit blooms from the tree, but it's only after one user has died."

My eyes fall to the marble floor. My hands are clenched in my lap. I have some magic in me, but only a small bit. Maybe it will be good enough to save Siren, with?

"And then there is the genetic magic, which comes down from ancestors passing on their magical abilities to their descendants. Everyone has a Witch for an ancestor. That is simply how nature ran its course. The ancestor may be from thousands and thousands of years ago, but the genetic magic is still there."

That's good enough for me. The rest of that day was spent in silence, other than the Witch ordering his servants. The next day, the day we would be docking in Witch Country, was different, however.

"Is there a school for Witches?" I asked, catching him by surprise. He had been reading some small, red leather book with the title in gold leaf. It was in a different language. He nods while folding the cover of the page down and closing his book. "Do all Witches go there?"

He turns to look down at me; I'm trying my hardest to keep the innocent look in my eyes. I was never very good at playing innocent.

"Not all Witches, just the important ones. I went there – all of my family has gone there. Most others go to simple spell school, just to learn the basics, while others, such as myself, go to the Academy to learn the best of the best."

I definitely have to find this Academy.

"Sir?" Kingsley walks into the throne room, a thick red coat now wrapped around his body. "We are to dock at any moment. I am here to take the slave to the others."

The Witch nods, pats my head, and I'm handed over to Kingsley. As we walk down the long hallway from the throne room to the chamber of the others, I'm glancing over everything I can get my eye on. I need to know the best way to get out of here. Kingsley walks me to the door and knocks. Hama opens the door, looking horribly tired, but one subtle look from me awakens her.

_Now_.

Hama opens the door and walks in, pushing me toward the others. Just then, there's a loud thud and the sound of deadweight dropping to the ground. I spin on my heels to find Hama holding a vase in her hands, and Kingsley unconscious at her feet.

"Thank you," I say, before dashing out of the room and down the hallway.

"You better come back for us!" She yells after me, reminding me of the promise I made. I just hope they're alive when I do come back.

The halls seem endless, but I continue to take a left at every turn I come to. I haven't gone head first into any guard's chest and I hope that I never do. On my last turn, there's just a long hallway with one door at the end. A bright light is shining from underneath it and I pray to whatever-there-is that the bright light shining from underneath is sunlight. As I get closer and closer, I slow down, speed-wise, but my mind is still running a mile a second. Then, suddenly, I'm standing before the door, my hand outstretched for the handle.

I'm almost scared that if it is sunlight, how am I to get past the crew more-likely-than-not still walking around on deck. And I'm almost certain that we haven't docked yet. Just as I get past that thought, there's a distant shout coming from behind me.

"Go find her, you damn idiots! Do you want Obadiah to find out that she escaped?" Kingsley yells, very loudly, at however many guards he has gathered. "And make sure she's alive when you get her!"

_Now or never._

I quickly open the door and run out onto deck. The crew stops their jobs and stares at me. I'm still in my scant-outfit, but the sun feels good on my skin. The goose flesh melts away. I can hear footsteps from behind me, and not daring to waste another second, I take off running for the railing. The dock is just close enough that I can jump; I may break something, but I can jump nonetheless.

The crew goes to try and grab at me, but I'm moving too fast, twisting and turning at just the last second to escape their hands also. I have too much momentum – and that isn't a very good thing.

Just as I get to the railing, I lift my right foot up and kick off the wood. There's a loud angry screech coming from Kingsley as he watches me jump away. I land, thankfully, on top of a vendor booth and slide down into an itchy pile of hay. The shoppers and sellers simply stare at me as I stumble to stand, pulling hay from my hair, and take off running away. From my choice of clothing, many take that I am a slave and have escaped – they do nothing to stop me, which is surprising.

I'm nearly two full blocks away before I realize why they don't chase me.

The Witch, Obadiah I believe his name is, stands in the center of the street that I'm running on. Coming from all sides are heavily armed guards and beasts of great stature. The Witch does not look very pleased with me.

"My dear charm, why are you running?"

His voice, which remains as calm as his expression, sends not-so-nice shivers down my back. The goose flesh is back and it's not from a cold draft. The guards begin to close in, and I begin to fear that I won't be able to make an easy escape. The denizens of Witch Country just walk around the commotion as if this is an everyday occurrence – I hope it's not.

I take a quick glance around, judging my surroundings. There's an opening between two guards, but it's into a brick wall. It is the only opening, and I find no other; looks like the brick wall is my only choice. I take off into their direction, picking up as much speed as I can. They look surprised, not thinking I could possibly be running toward them. Just as I'm a yard and a half away, the familiar tingling in my bones spreads out over my body, and I begin to shrink.

Their eyes almost bugle from the sockets they sit in.

I'm through the opening and to the other side. I make a sharp turn away from the wall and run to hide under a vendor booth. Now the market place is in an uproar. I can hear the anger in Obadiah's voice as he bellows for the guards to go after me. I move from booth to booth, using the tablecloths as a way to make it impossible to tell where I'm going. I'm only a few inches tall, and while I'm not running very fast, it does well for a quick disguise. If used correctly.

After the fifth booth, I find an alleyway and run into it. I dodge behind crates and boxes, trying my best not to drown in puddles of mud and sludge. Once out of the alleyway and onto another street that is calm and simply bustling with Witches arguing with each over the price of an item, I find a clothing vendor and expand to natural size. With a quick pop of my neck, I grab the first thing I see hanging up and pull it on, replacing it with the outfit I was given on the ship.

From there, I easily blend into the crowd.

It's like an ocean current – going back and forth, but overall sending everyone in the same direction. There were so many schools of fish – from the little children dismissed from school to the high-society ladies with their eventful clothing of choice. So many jewels caught my eyes, but I forced myself to keep moving on. Last time I got distracted by jewels, I got kidnapped. Look how well that turned out.

Somehow, I find myself at a fork in the road. One part of the road slopes up into a steep hill. It curves at the top and the buildings make it difficult to see where it leads. The other slopes downward, not as steep, but gradual instead. It curves, also, and I'm not sure where it leads either. I'm left to stare at the building between the two roads. The front is nothing but a wall wide enough to house a door, and then the building flares out in a triangular shape. There is no sign above the door, but the street light above the store bell is on, even though it is the middle of the day. It wouldn't hurt to go in; so, I do.

When I step in, I'm amazed at the shop inside. It is much bigger than I realized, even though the shape seems awkward on the outside, it fits well with the inside. On one wall is a row of mirrors with cabinets and shelves filled with jars and needles. There are chairs in front of each different set of shelves and cabinets. On the other side it looks much like an antique shop.

As I close the door, the bell rings loud and clear.

"Hello! Welcome to-" The shopkeeper stops in the middle of his sentence and stares at me. "Faye?"

"Alastair?" I ask in surprise, never thinking I would see the blonde boy ever again.

"Faye!" he yells happily, jumping from behind the shelf full of old books and coming over to hug me. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you! It's so boring here in Witch Country. I so badly want to go back to Hastion City, it's much more colorful there. And the people are so much nicer too and-"

"What's with all the noise, Al?" another familiar voice sounds. Alastair turns us around quickly, and I find myself looking up at Syra as she walks down from second floor of the shop. Behind her, is a line of floating items following down the stairs. In one of her hands, Syra has a familiar black device – is that a wand?

"Look, Syra! It's Faye!" Alastair exclaims excitedly. Syra looks up from the steps, stopping halfway down and stares at me.

Suddenly, I remember all the pain she caused me because of that stupid tattoo on my back. The hair on my arms stands up on end. I pull away from Alastair and walk over to the stairs. Syra continues the walk down. By the time she is at the bottom, I'm in front of her, fist balled and pulled back. I'm _pissed_.

"This is for the fucking infection you gave me," I seethe at her before letting my fist go. I hit her right in the nose. The crack of it is sweet music to my ears. _Bitch_.

"Sea god!" Al yells, surprised at the sudden violence. All the things Syra had levitating behind her crash to the floor. The glass shatters and a few things tumble down to my feet. Syra is sprawled out on the stairs, one hand holding herself up while the other clutches around her broken nose.

"The hell!" she yells at me, but it sounds nasally and muffled by her hand.

I wasn't sure of what had overcome me, but it felt amazing. There was a slight bouncy in my movements, and I couldn't stop shifting. It was almost as if I was waiting for her to strike back. There was surprise in my subconscious thoughts, but the thoughts that were upfront and the main focus, told me to go into battle mode. I've never been one to fight – it's not very fun to go home with bloody knuckles and a black eye when you have to embroider twenty handkerchiefs the next day.

"Faye! What has gotten into you?" Al shouts, pulling me by my arm, away from Syra. She's still on the stairs, cupping her nose as blood begins to drip from her hand. _Damn. Did I really hit her that hard?_ But to tell the truth, I didn't care much about if I really hit her a bit too hard.

By the time Syra has gotten her nose in the correct position and the blood has stopped flowing, I'm sitting in one of the chairs that lines one of the walls, staring at the many shelves of antiques. Syra simply glares at me from across the room. Her face is starting to swell. _Good_.

"What are you doing in Witch Country, Faye?" Alastair asks me, and I'm not quite sure how to answer it, exactly.

"I'm trying to find a curse-breaker," I tell him after a few moments. His brow rises to his hairline as he sips at his cup of tea he fixed while Syra and I cooled off.

"A curse-breaker to what, exactly?"

I answer, without missing a beat, "An enslavement spell."

Alastair's eyes widen. The tea he sips is swallowed quickly. "An enslavement spell? Faye, that is very powerful magic to begin with, and it would take an equally, or more, powerful Witch to disarm it. You're not in any trouble, are you?"

I shake my head, ignoring the part about the spell being very _powerful_. "No, but I do have a friend that is in trouble and I want to help her."

"Here's a better question," Syra drawls, the nasally sound of her voice throwing some amusement in the situation. "How'd you get to Witch Country to begin with?"

"Same way most Witches do," I retort. "By ship."

"Yeah, but it takes a special Log Pose to find Witch Country," Al states.

"I just so happen to have a Witch acquaintance with one of those special Log Poses."

"Then why can't he help you with the curse-breaker?"

I think up a quick lie. "He's not the brightest flame in the fire." That seems to do well enough for Al. Syra still hasn't said anything.

"Then the Academy is probably best for you. They can give you the curse-breaker, but it won't do you much good without any magical abilities."

"But I have some magic in me," I tell them. "I ate a Devil's Fruit. Isn't that good enough?"

Al looks over to Syra, and they share a look. He looks back at me. "For a simple cleaning charm, maybe. But a full-out curse-breaker? Even I couldn't do that properly." I don't find much encouragement in Al's words, but that's only one opinion. And my opinion is the only one that counts.

"Well, now that that is settled, show me to this 'Academy'."

Al looks over at Syra nervously. She's wearing a mischievous look. She mumbled, "Good luck with that…" Alastair looks back at me.

"What is your Devil Fruit power, again?"

I look at him with a confused expression. "I can shrink myself."

The worried look on Al's face brightens immediately. "Oh, then getting in the Academy will be a piece of cake for us!" Al grabs his coat and pulls it on. "Alrighty then, hop in!" He says, pointing to the small outside pocket of his coat. I look at him, and then at the pocket. Sighing to myself, I close my eyes and feel my bones moving. Opening them again, I find Al's gigantic hand outstretched for me. Standing from the chair, I jump onto his palm and hold onto one of his fingers as he lifts me up to the pocket.

Once in the small confinement, all I see is the light from overhead from the top of the pocket, and Al's chin. His voice is booming as he says a goodbye to Syra. "We'll be back, Syra! Close the shop up until then." Syra grumbles something, but I hear only the faint mumbles of words.

**OF MEMOIRS AND MAPS**

"Al?"

He looks over at me as we slink through the empty halls of the Academy. It wasn't very hard to get in, actually, but I was uneasy with the echoing steps of our feet. Any sound could be hiding behind them.

"Yeah, Faye?"

I look behind us, checking that end of the hall before continuing to walk forward to the other end. I'm obviously hesitating, trying to figure out how to ask my question and readying myself for lies or an I don't know.

"Why did my tattoo get infected?"

Now Al is the one hesitating and I know he knows something. He knows I know because he won't look at me.

"Well, the ink wasn't regular ink. Sy had infused it with some of her magic and…" He pauses. I stop walking, and he does the same. We aren't going any farther until he tells me everything he knows, and I know he understands that from my rigid body language. "And, well, she was experimenting to see if it was possible to make magical tattoos. You know, the kind that move on their own, or are projected off your body."

"So you mean if I would have woken up with a fairy wing one morning then it would have worked?"

He nods.

"But it didn't work, obviously," Al says, waving his hand casually as if it was suspected. "We didn't hear anything from you, so Syra went back and tried to perfect the ink and we're still working on it, but we've had a lot of success lately. There are still a few kinks that need to be ironed out, but it shouldn't take too much longer before we have the formula ready to use on Witches and non-Witches."

Then, gradually, we fall back into step, going farther and farther down the hall, but after some amount of metres, I stop again and look. We haven't changed position in the hall but by maybe a few centimeters. Al looks at me, obviously not seeing what I see.

"What is it, Faye?"

"We're not alone," I simply say, causing Al to look around and also see that we haven't moved in the hallway even though we've been walking for a good ten minutes. Al whispers something, and small speckles of glittering light fizzle into the air before the endless hallway pops out of sight. A single figure appears to be standing in front of us, maybe only five metres away. He's dressed in dark colored robes, his arms crossed over his chest. Al squints, slightly, trying to see who it is through the dim light.

His face seems to brighten after a few seconds.

"Uncle Voltaire!"

The man steps forward, finally giving a better view of his large, muscular form. He's wearing a large grin that almost could rival Ace's cheeky smile.

Ace...

"Well if it isn't my little bugger of a nephew, Alastair! What brings you to the Academy, Al?"

The two family members share a friendly hug in greeting, passing pleasantries, before Alastair turns to me.

"Uncle Vol, this is Faye. She's an old friend from Hastion City."

"Ah, a fine specimen you've brought me, Al! I love meeting Non-Witches." Voltaire comes up to me, grabbing my hand and holds it delicately in his two, kissing the knuckles. He pauses. "Ahh..." he whispers, pulling my hand away from his lips and looking at me quizzically. "But you do have some magic in you, my dear Faye... don't you?"

I look over at Al, not sure of where this is going.

"Let me guess!" Voltaire suddenly exclaims, causing me to jump. His hands keep a hold on mine, though. He lets his fingers run over the scars and pin pricks of years of being a seamstress and living with a pirate. "Devil Fruit, correct?" I simply nod my head, giving him an incredulous look. I mean, there were only so many options that he could have chosen from but to get it on the first try? _Lucky guess._

"Oh, but there's much more, isn't there?" he murmurs, and I barely catch it. "So much more underneath, laying dormant for the longest time..."

I pull my hand back, keeping my limbs to myself. "Can you help us or not?" I snap, and no matter how much more I want to find out about what he has to say, I need to worry about my main focus: freeing Siren.

Voltaire seems to snap out of the inquisitive state he was in, and back to a ball of energy. For a middle aged man, he's got a lot of it.

"Right! Of course! Let us go into my office to speak farther on the matter. Shall we?"

A door to the left of us opens on its own, and nowadays I find that nothing compared to what I have seen. Alastair goes in first, with me following, and Voltaire behind us, closing and latching the door locked. I look for any other exits, and all I find it two windows. One is covered in stained glass that shines a picture onto the paper cluttered desk, and another one that is open and letting in the fresh breeze and voices of students down below.

"Now, my dear nephew, what may I help you and your friend with?"

Alastair looks over at me, and I take this as my queue to speak.

"I have a... friend of a sorts in a bit of trouble. I need to find a curse-breaker for an enslavement spell."

Voltaire, now sitting in his high backed leather chair, rests in the comforts of the cushions. He presses his finger tips together, hiding the smirk I know he's wearing. Alastair stays off to the side, busying himself with looking at the many books and scrolls that line the walls.

"My, my, it does seem as if this friend of yours is in a predicament."

He doesn't say anything else, and after a few minutes my patience is lost.

"Are you going to help me or not?" I ask, trying to keep my anger down. I've never been this infuriated so quickly before. Has he done something to me?

"Of course I will, my dear Faye!" He spreads his arms out and gives a loud laugh. His eyes sparkle with a light that isn't as happy, though. "For a price, that is."

It is now that I realize that I'm going to regret doing this. Why didn't I listen to Ace? Then I wouldn't be in this mess.

"And your price?"

I shouldn't have asked that. I'm such an idiot, _I shouldn't have asked that!_

Voltaire leans forward, grinning maliciously. His happy, friendly outer cover has dissolved into this sick, twisted man. It doesn't matter if I take the offer or not, I'm stuck in here anyways.

"Your first born child."

**A/N:**

What? You don't remember Alastair or Syra? Go back to Street Corner Symphony of Ink! You'll remember then.

Review, please? This is the longest chapter I've ever written for this story! But I think I owe you that much, right?

I want to apologize for the lengthy wait. Things in my life got hectic, but I also got a new laptop for Christmas and it didn't have Word on it, so I couldn't write the chapter. It's been sitting on my flashdrive since Christmas… And we're a week into June now. I still have plans to finish this story before its 4th birthday in December, but I do have my first year of college coming up in two months. With a summer job plus summer trips, we'll see how much of this story I get out before I'm finished. There are going to be, total, fifty or so chapters. Exciting isn't it? :D

Love and Kisses?

_Bri_.


End file.
